Trump Endorses Ken Paxton in Texas GOP Senate Runoff
President Donald Trump on Tuesday endorsed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in the Republican primary runoff for U.S. Senate, delivering a seismic blow to four-term incumbent Sen. John Cornyn just one week before the May 26 election. The endorsement, posted on Truth Social, calls Paxton a “true MAGA Warrior” while criticizing Cornyn for insufficient loyalty, underscoring Trump’s enduring grip on the Republican Party as primary season intensifies, according to AP News.
A Divided Party
The runoff between Cornyn and Paxton has become a bitter, expensive battle for the soul of the Republican Party, pitting the establishment against Trump’s populist wing. Cornyn narrowly led Paxton 42%-41% in the March 3 primary, but neither candidate cleared the 50% threshold, forcing the overtime contest. Early voting began May 18 and runs through May 23, with the winner set to face Democratic state Rep. James Talarico in November.
Republicans currently control the Senate 53-47, and Texas is considered a must-hold seat. The high stakes have fueled an extraordinary spending disparity: pro-Cornyn groups have poured more than $87 million into advertising, while pro-Paxton groups have spent just $9.2 million, as reported by NBC News.
Trump’s Reasoning
In his endorsement, Trump praised Paxton as a fighter who “has ALWAYS delivered for Texas” and said he would continue to do so in the Senate. Of Cornyn, Trump wrote: “John Cornyn is a good man, and I worked well with him, but he was not supportive of me when times were tough.” The president specifically noted that Cornyn was “very late in backing me” in the 2024 campaign.
Paxton responded swiftly, writing on X that he was “incredibly honored to have President Trump’s COMPLETE AND TOTAL ENDORSEMENT” and vowing to champion Trump’s America First agenda in the Senate, according to Fox News.
Cornyn, in his own statement, emphasized that Trump “has consistently called me a friend in this race” and argued that voters must decide between “a strong nominee” or “a weak nominee who jeopardizes everything we care about.”
The Loyalty Calculus
Trump’s decision to back Paxton is the latest in a systematic campaign to purge Republicans he deems insufficiently loyal. Recent successes include the defeat of Sen. Bill Cassidy in Louisiana and Rep. Thomas Massie in Kentucky, both of whom lost their primaries after Trump endorsed their challengers.
Cornyn’s record tells a more complicated story. The senator voted with Trump more than 99% of the time, but their relationship soured after Cornyn suggested in 2023 that Trump’s “time has passed him by” and called the classified documents charges against Trump “very serious.” Cornyn was also an early critic of Trump’s border wall plan, though he now supports it.
A University of Houston poll conducted in early May showed Paxton leading Cornyn 47%-44% among likely GOP runoff voters, within the margin of error and suggesting a razor-thin outcome. The survey found Paxton dominating among voters without college degrees and voters of color, while Cornyn held an edge among college-educated Republicans.
Fallout on Capitol Hill
Senate Republicans reacted with dismay to Trump’s endorsement. Sen. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., said she was “sad, actually sad,” adding that “now it’ll just cost us a fortune.” Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., warned that the Texas race would become “three times more expensive” for Republicans if Paxton is the nominee.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., who had lobbied Trump to back Cornyn, told reporters simply: “It’s his decision.” Steve Bannon, the former Trump strategist, framed the endorsement as “as much a vote of no confidence in John Thune as it is a vote of confidence in Ken Paxton.”
Paxton’s Baggage
Paxton brings significant personal and legal baggage to the race. He was acquitted in a 2023 impeachment trial on bribery and corruption charges, settled a long-running securities fraud case in 2024, and is in the midst of a divorce after his wife filed on “biblical grounds.” His allies argue these controversies are politically motivated attacks, while Cornyn’s campaign has warned they make Paxton a risky general election candidate.
What’s Next
The runoff election on May 26 will determine whether Trump’s endorsement machine can unseat a four-term incumbent in one of the most expensive primary races in American history. The outcome carries national implications: if Paxton wins the nomination but loses the general election to Talarico, Republicans could see their Senate majority shrink or disappear entirely. If Cornyn survives, it would mark a rare rebuke of Trump’s political power.
With early voting already underway and both campaigns racing to turn out their bases, the next six days will determine whether Trump’s gamble in Texas pays off — or fractures the party heading into a critical midterm election.