Trump endorses Ken Paxton over Sen. Cornyn in high-stakes Texas Senate runoff

President Donald Trump has officially endorsed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in the Republican Senate runoff against longtime incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, delivering a major setback to Cornyn just days before voters return to the polls. The endorsement lands at a critical point in the race, in which neither Paxton nor Cornyn secured a majority in Texas’ March Republican primary, forcing a May 26 runoff (after Cornyn narrowly led with roughly 42% of the vote to Paxton’s 41%.)  Early voting began Monday.

In a Truth Social post Tuesday, Trump praised Paxton as “a true MAGA Warrior” and “a WINNER,” while criticizing Cornyn for failing to support him during difficult political moments, particularly during the 2024 campaign cycle. Although Trump acknowledged that Cornyn had been “a good man” to work with, he emphasized that the senator had been slow to endorse him. For months, Cornyn had worked to rebuild ties with Trump and secure the president’s backing, while Paxton positioned himself as the more loyal conservative ally.

Paxton welcomed the endorsement, calling it an “incredible honor,” while fellow Republican Rep. Wesley Hunt quickly followed by backing Paxton as well, writing: “To EVERY supporter who believed in what we fought for, I am now asking you to unite behind the next United States Senator from Texas. He has the total and complete endorsement of President Donald Trump, and he has mine as well.”

Trump had hinted since March that he would soon endorse a candidate and even suggested the losing contender should step aside to avoid prolonging the expensive battle. Cornyn responded by arguing that Republican voters must decide whether they want a nominee capable of protecting the GOP seat in November or someone who could put it at risk. Senate Republican leaders have long viewed Cornyn as the safer general-election candidate, especially against Democratic nominee James Talarico, who has already consolidated Democratic support and built a well-funded campaign. Talarico dismissed the Republican infighting after Trump’s endorsement, saying, “it doesn’t matter who wins this runoff,” while framing his campaign as a fight against wealthy political donors and entrenched power.

The race has also exposed divisions inside the Republican Party. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, who had quietly pushed Trump to support Cornyn, reacted cautiously by saying only that the endorsement was “his decision.” Other GOP senators voiced deeper concerns. Lisa Murkowski said she was “supremely disappointed,” warning Republicans could jeopardize a traditionally red Texas seat. Susan Collins described Paxton as “ethically challenged,” while Lindsey Graham acknowledged that a Paxton candidacy would likely require significantly more campaign spending.

Paxton has built his political identity around unwavering support for Trump. He backed efforts to challenge the 2020 election results, spoke at the rally before the January 6 Capitol attack, and was among the earliest officials to endorse Trump’s 2024 comeback bid. He also appeared at Trump’s criminal trial in New York in support of the former president. However, despite strong backing from conservative votersPaxton’s political career has been shadowed by controversy. Since taking office in 2015, he has faced securities fraud allegations, survived a 2023 impeachment trial in Texas, and dealt with public accusations regarding infidelity during divorce proceedings involving state Sen. Angela Paxton. Paxton has repeatedly argued that the investigations against him were politically motivated.

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