Trump Delays Texas Senate Endorsement to Pressure GOP on Voting Restrictions
President Donald Trump is opting to postpone his endorsement in the Texas Senate Republican primary, a strategic move aimed at increasing pressure on Republican senators to advance his priority voting restrictions bill. This insight comes from two sources close to the White House who requested anonymity to share candidly.
Initially, Trump was poised to quickly endorse Senator John Cornyn after Cornyn exceeded expectations by finishing ahead of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in last week’s primary elections. However, Paxton shifted the narrative with a bold declaration on Friday: he would suspend his campaign if the Senate passed the voting restrictions bill.
This last-minute maneuver not only aligned Paxton with Trump’s objectives but also highlighted a fracture between the former president and Senate Republican leaders who have been urging Trump for months to support Cornyn. According to the two sources, this development altered the dynamics within the White House.
“This was a clever tactic that bought time,” remarked a Republican operative. “Now, from Trump’s perspective, why rush to make an endorsement?” The operative pointed out that Trump has been unwavering in his insistence on getting the voting bill passed, expressing frustration with certain Senate members, particularly Senate Majority Leader John Thune.
In a post made last Wednesday, the day following the primary, Trump indicated he would endorse someone “soon,” while expressing a desire for any candidate he doesn’t support to exit the runoff.
During a speech to House Republicans at their annual legislative retreat in Florida, Trump labeled the SAVE America Act as his “No. 1 priority” for the congressional agenda this year.
Despite Trump’s influence, Paxton initially insisted he would continue his campaign even if Trump chose to back Cornyn. Trump responded in an interview with POLITICO, characterizing Paxton’s stance as “unwise,” and reaffirmed his intent to announce an endorsement shortly.
However, Paxton soon pivoted by offering to withdraw his campaign, contingent on the Senate taking action on the stalled voting restrictions bill. Currently, Republicans face a significant hurdle: they lack the needed 60 votes to overcome a filibuster, not to mention the simple majority necessary to change Senate rules. Cornyn, traditionally resistant to eliminating the filibuster, has voiced support for the SAVE America Act.
Paxton’s strategic play caught Trump’s attention. On Monday, Trump reiterated in a speech to House Republicans that the SAVE America Act should be the GOP’s top priority, dedicating a substantial portion of his speech to the topic.
The former president also expressed annoyance when reports from Axios and The Atlantic surfaced, suggesting Trump was on the verge of endorsing Cornyn. According to the Republican operative, Trump and his allies find it irksome when media outlets scoop official announcements.
Paxton’s move has granted his allies additional time to express their concerns to the White House regarding the potential for Trump to be swayed by pro-Cornyn establishment Republicans in Washington. This pressure campaign has intensified recently, coinciding with reports of Trump leaning toward Cornyn. An administration ally noted that Paxton’s supporters are mounting a “significant counter-offensive.”
Opposition to a Cornyn endorsement has garnered backing from Texas donors, as indicated by a Paxton campaign aide. “The grassroots donor community in Texas was unaware of how close Trump was to endorsing Cornyn,” the aide explained, speaking anonymously to share insights. “Once they realized the threat was credible, they united in a significant push.”
While donors work discreetly behind the scenes, Paxton’s allies are also campaigning online, led by conservative influencers like Laura Loomer, Jack Posobiec, and Caroline Wren. They have criticized Cornyn and promoted Paxton, warning that a Trump endorsement for Cornyn would be a betrayal of the MAGA base.
“The Republican establishment shares blame for the decline of this republic, and a prime example is John Cornyn,” asserted Steve Bannon, a prominent figure in MAGA circles, during a recent episode of his podcast, War Room.
In response, Cornyn and his allies have been scrambling. On Saturday, Cornyn took to X (formerly Twitter), tagging Trump and asserting that he had supported the SAVE America Act “from day one.” He announced his willingness to endorse the “talking filibuster” if necessary to advance the legislation, a notable shift from his previous skepticism about its feasibility. He received support from Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah), a MAGA ally leading the charge for the bill in the Senate.
Yet, Thune dampened Trump’s aspirations once again on Monday, stating that formally eliminating the legislative filibuster is “not going to happen” and that implementing a talking filibuster without changing the rules is “more complicated than people realize.”
Cornyn’s supporters believe he remains well-positioned to secure Trump’s endorsement, especially following the Democratic nomination of state Representative James Talarico, a candidate perceived as a formidable opponent in the general election. Many national Republicans caution that backing Paxton could lead to significant financial repercussions and jeopardize their control of the Senate, given his past ethical controversies and personal scandals that render him a vulnerable candidate.
