President Trump makes endorsement in Texas’ Republican runoff for U.S. Senate
President Donald Trump on Tuesday endorsed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in the Republican primary for the U.S. Senate over incumbent John Cornyn.
“Two years ago, our Country was DEAD — Now we have the ‘HOTTEST’ Country anywhere in the World — And I want to keep it that way,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social. “Ken Paxton will help me do that, MAKING AMERICA BIGGER, BETTER, AND STRONGER THAN EVER BEFORE!”
Trump endorsed Paxton despite pleas from Senate Republicans asking the president to back Cornyn, as they try to keep a majority in the Senate in what could be a tough November midterm election. The winner in May will face state Rep. James Talarico, race’s Democratic nominee.
Trump said in his endorsement that Cornyn was not supportive of him “when times were tough.”
“John was very late in backing me in what turned out to be a Historic Run for the Republican Nomination, and then, the Presidency, itself, both of which were Landslide Victories and, more importantly, gave us the Country that we have today — THE GOLDEN AGE OF AMERICA,” Trump said.
In the first round of voting, Cornyn Paxton and U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt, a Houston Republican, were all jockeying to link themselves to Trump. Paxton has criticized Cornyn for not being a Trump supporter on the campaign trail, though the senator has endorsed the president in the past.
There have been months of wondering whether Trump would jump in. He teased an endorsement shortly after the first round of voting, when Cornyn won 42% of votes to Paxton’s 40.5%. However, the endorsement never came. The president told reporters Tuesday, on the second day of early voting, he would be backing a candidate.
Paxton celebrated winning the president’s support in a Tuesday statement.
“I am incredibly honored to have President Trump’s complete and total endorsement,” Paxton said. “No one has fought harder for the American people than President Trump, and I look forward to championing his America First agenda in the Senate. I have consistently stood by President Trump, even when the Washington establishment and career politicians like John Cornyn turned their back on the President. Now, I look forward to winning this critical Senate seat and delivering victory after victory for the people of Texas.”
In a social media post following Trump’s endorsement announcement, Cornyn said he’s worked closely with Trump as president and voted with him more than 99% of the time.
“It is now time for Texas Republican voters to decide if they want a strong nominee to help our GOP candidates down ballot and defeat Talarico in November, or a weak nominee who jeopardizes everything we care about,” Cornyn said. “I trust the Republican voters of Texas.”
Senate leadership had reportedly been urging Trump to endorse Cornyn for the statewide seat.
If the president “endorses early, it saves everybody a lot of money, and … 10 weeks of a spirited campaign on our side that keeps us from spending time focusing on the Democrats,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a South Dakota Republican, said in March, according to Politico.
The lead up to Trump’s endorsement
In a Truth Social post on March 4, the president said that the race must stop so Republicans can focus on beating the “Radical Left Opponent,” Democrat state Rep. James Talarico.
“I will be making my Endorsement soon, and will be asking the candidate that I don’t Endorse to immediately DROP OUT OF THE RACE! Is that fair?” Trump said in the March post. “We must win in November!!!”
March 17 was the deadline for a candidate to withdraw from the race.
Paxton initially said he would not exit the race, but on March 5 gave his conditions.
“I would consider dropping out of this race if Senate Leadership agrees to lift the filibuster and passes the SAVE America Act,” Paxton said on social media.
Trump noted Paxton’s support for ending the filibuster and the election legislation in his Tuesday endorsement post. The bill would require voters to show proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote and photo ID when voting in federal elections.
After Paxton’s March 5 post, Cornyn came out in support of Senate rule changes related to the filibuster if it meant getting the legislation to Trump’s desk.
How influential is Trump’s endorsement, and what does it mean for November?
A recent poll from the University of Houston’s Hobby School of Public Affairs shows a close race between Cornyn and Paxton, but gives Paxton the edge. SMU political science professor Cal Jillson said Trump’s calculus is likely that his endorsement could widen that margin.
The endorsement solidifies Paxton’s “MAGA label,” said University of Houston political science professor Brandon Rottinghaus. Cornyn will need to focus on playing up Paxton’s negatives and rallying non-Trump Republican primary voters, which is a “very small segment” of the primary electorate.
Cornyn’s runoff strategy has included highlighting ethical concerns Paxton has faced as attorney general and in his personal life.
Looking ahead to November, Trump’s endorsement could be good news for Democrats.
“This endorsement, I think, stretches out Paxton’s lead and does pretty much assure him the Republican nomination in this runoff, but it makes the general election closer, more interesting,” Jillson said, predicting a Talarico vs. Paxton ballot would become the most expensive race in the country.
A spokesperson for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, which has been supporting Cornyn, did not immediately return a request for comment.
“We have been very clear that the fight to protect President Trump’s Senate majority should not be fought in Texas and John Cornyn is the only candidate who ensures that does not happen,” NRSC Communications Director Joanna Rodriguez told the Star-Telegram in an April statement.
In a Tuesday statement, Talarico said it doesn’t matter who wins the Republican runoff.
“We already know who we’re running against: the billionaire mega-donors and their corrupt political system,” he said. “For decades, John Cornyn and Ken Paxton have embodied a broken politics that enriches wealthy donors while costs skyrocket for the rest of us. Our movement to take back Texas for working people rises above party politics — because the biggest fight in this country is not left versus right, it’s top versus bottom.”
This story was originally published May 19, 2026 at 11:37 AM.
