President Donald Trump has entered the Texas GOP Senate primary runoff, endorsing Attorney General Ken Paxton in an effort to oust four-term incumbent Senator John Cornyn. The endorsement, announced Tuesday, comes just one week before the May 26 runoff election.
The announcement broke during a campaign event in Allen, Texas, where Paxton told supporters, “I have so much respect for the president and appreciate so much his endorsement.” In a social media post, Trump described Paxton as a “true MAGA Warrior who has ALWAYS delivered for Texas and will continue to do so in the United States Senate.”
A Divide Over Loyalty and Strategy
The endorsement highlights a rift between the Make America Great Again movement and the Republican establishment. While Senator Cornyn has supported Trump’s agenda in Washington, Trump signaled that the relationship has been strained. Trump referred to Cornyn as a “good man” but claimed he “was not supportive of me when times were tough” and was “very late in backing me” during the Republican nomination process.
The tension dates back to 2023, when Cornyn suggested Trump’s “time has passed him by” and could not win the 2024 presidency. Cornyn also initially criticized Trump’s border wall plan, though he now supports the project. In response to the endorsement, Cornyn posted on X that he has voted with Trump “99% of the time” and that the president had previously called him a friend in the race.
Financial Disparity and Political Risk
Despite the endorsement, Paxton has been significantly outspent. According to the ad-tracking firm AdImpact, Cornyn’s campaign and allied super PACs have spent more than $87 million on advertising since last year—including over $18.5 million since the March 3 primary—the majority of which focused on attacking Paxton. In contrast, Paxton’s campaign and a single super PAC have spent a total of $9.2 million, with $4.9 million spent since the March 3 primary.
Republican leadership has expressed concern that a Paxton nomination could jeopardize the seat in November. Senator Tim Scott, chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, warned that it is a “strong possibility we cannot hold Texas” without Cornyn. Senator Cynthia Lummis expressed sadness over the decision, suggesting that a Paxton victory would make the general election more expensive for the party.
A Broader Pattern of Influence
The Texas endorsement is part of a wider effort by Trump to remove GOP members who have opposed him. Recent examples include:
- Indiana: Trump’s support helped remove five of seven Republican state senators in a May 5 primary after they opposed a White House-backed redistricting plan.
- Louisiana: Senator Bill Cassidy finished third in his primary, falling out of the June 27 runoff. The Trump-endorsed U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow finished first.
- Kentucky: Trump endorsed Ed Gallrein to challenge U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie, citing Massie’s opposition to the Iran war and push to release the Epstein files.
Looking Toward November
The winner of the runoff will face Democratic state Rep. James Talarico in the general election. Cornyn has argued that Paxton would be a “weak nominee who jeopardizes everything we care about.” Talarico, however, stated that the runoff winner is less important than the “billionaire megadonors and their corrupt political system” he intends to fight.
Paxton enters the final stretch of the race having been acquitted in a 2023 impeachment trial on corruption charges and reaching a deal in 2024 to resolve a securities fraud case.
What may happen next: With early voting continuing through Friday, Trump’s endorsement could potentially sway primary voters who prioritize loyalty to the MAGA movement over established legislative records. If Paxton wins the runoff, the GOP may be forced to divert significant financial resources to defend the Texas seat in November, which could potentially impact the party’s ability to fund other competitive Senate races across the country.
