Sen. Cornyn was born in Houston, Texas, and grew up in San Antonio, the second of three children. His father was a B-17 pilot in World War II before becoming an Air Force dentist. At various points Sen. Cornyn’s family was also stationed in El Paso, Texas; Biloxi, Mississippi; Washington, D.C.; and Tachikawa, Japan.

Sen. Cornyn graduated from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas with a degree in journalism. After starting as a biology major, hoping to become a doctor, Sen. Cornyn realized science wasn’t his passion and he switched to journalism and worked for the school paper.