In a last-minute move, President Donald Trump has thrown his support behind Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in the Republican primary for the Texas Senate seat. This decision aligns Trump with a loyal MAGA supporter and could jeopardize the GOP’s hold on the position.
Trump’s endorsement on Tuesday provides Paxton with a significant advantage over Sen. John Cornyn, the candidate favored by establishment Republicans, just days before the May primary runoff. Polls indicate a very close race, and Trump’s decision follows months of pressure from both Cornyn’s and Paxton’s supporters as he remained neutral.
This unexpected endorsement comes after months of speculation, with Cornyn stating just a day earlier that “the ship has finally sailed” on Trump’s potential endorsement.
On Truth Social, Trump praised Paxton as “a true MAGA Warrior who has ALWAYS delivered for Texas, and will continue to do so in the United States Senate.” He added, “John Cornyn is a good man, and I worked well with him, but he was not supportive of me when times were tough.”
Cornyn and his backers are concerned that Paxton’s nomination could threaten the GOP’s Senate control due to his numerous controversies and could lead to a significant financial burden for the party in defending the seat come fall.
Paxton, who has served as Texas’ top lawyer for ten years, has been embroiled in controversies, including impeachment, a securities fraud probe, ethics issues, and a high-profile divorce with allegations of infidelity. Democrats see an opportunity to win statewide in Texas, especially against Republican candidate James Talarico, who is considered a strong contender.
Initially, some White House allies believed that Cornyn’s unexpected strength in the primary’s first round would prompt Trump to endorse him. Trump fueled these expectations with a Truth Social post in early March, stating the Texas GOP primary shouldn’t “be allowed to go on any longer” and that he would soon make his choice public.
Ultimately, Trump was influenced by the MAGA faction, which views Paxton as a dedicated member of their movement and criticizes Cornyn for occasionally opposing Trump.
Paxton, a fervent Trump supporter who backed efforts to challenge the 2020 election results, saw his allies, including MAGA figures like Laura Loomer and Jack Posobiec, mount a public campaign to encourage Trump to support Paxton over Cornyn.
Prior to Trump’s endorsement, Paxton indicated he might step aside if the Senate were to eliminate the filibuster to pass the “SAVE America Act,” a stalled elections overhaul bill. This was perceived by Texas Republicans as a strategic move to emphasize his alignment with Trump and create a divide between the president and Cornyn, who opposes removing the filibuster.
