GOP Texas Senate Candidate Ken Paxton speaks to supporters at a watch social gathering on March 3, 2026 in Dallas, Texas. Paxton and incumbent John Cornyn will face off once more in a run off.
Sergio Flores | Getty Photographs
President Donald Trump endorsed Texas Lawyer Common Ken Paxton within the state’s Republican Senate major runoff Tuesday, throwing his weight behind a hard-line ally and dealing a serious blow to incumbent Sen. John Cornyn one week earlier than Election Day.
The endorsement provides Paxton a serious increase in one of many GOP’s most carefully watched Senate primaries, a race that has grow to be a check of Trump’s grip on Republican voters and the power of the Senate GOP institution.
“Ken is a real MAGA Warrior who has ALWAYS delivered for Texas, and can proceed to take action in america Senate. He’ll tirelessly battle to proceed the Nice Progress of our Economic system, Reduce Taxes and Laws,” Trump stated in a Reality Social put up. “Ken Paxton has gone by quite a bit, in lots of instances, very unfairly, however he’s a Fighter, and is aware of how you can WIN. Our Nation wants Fighters, and in addition Loyalty to the Reason behind Greatness.”
The Could 26 runoff pits Paxton, a longtime Trump ally, in opposition to Cornyn, a four-term incumbent who has served within the Senate since 2003. Early voting started Monday and runs by Friday.
“I’m extremely honored to have President Trump’s COMPLETE AND TOTAL ENDORSEMENT,” Paxton posted on X following the endorsement. “Nobody has ever fought tougher for the American individuals than President Trump, and I stay up for championing his America First agenda within the Senate!”
Trump’s affect
The Texas race is the most recent instance of Trump flexing his affect in Republican primaries as he strikes to punish lawmakers he views as insufficiently loyal and reward candidates aligned together with his political motion.
Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, speaks to the press, acknowledging he’ll face a runoff with Texas Lawyer Common Ken Paxton within the race for U.S. Senate after the Texas Republican major election on the Austin Marriott Downtown in Texas, March 3, 2026.
Sarah Diggins | Austin American-statesman | Hearst Newspapers | Getty Photographs
“John Cornyn is an efficient man, and I labored properly with him, however he was not supportive of me when occasions have been powerful and, regardless of having the Most Profitable Economic system within the Historical past of our Nation throughout my First Time period and, with all the many different issues that I achieved,” Trump posted.
In response, Cornyn posted on X that he has “labored carefully with President Trump by each of his Presidential phrases and voted with him greater than 99% of the time.”
“He has persistently referred to as me a buddy on this race. It’s now time for Texas Republican voters to resolve if they need a powerful nominee to assist our GOP candidates down poll and defeat Talarico in November, or a weak nominee who jeopardizes every part we care about. I belief the Republican voters of Texas,” Cornyn continued, referring to Democratic nominee James Talarico.
It’s the third main GOP major race in a brief span the place Trump has exerted his affect.
Trump helped finish the reelection bid of Sen. Invoice Cassidy, a Louisiana Republican who voted to convict him in his second impeachment, and is backing Ed Gallrein, a former Navy SEAL difficult Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., in Tuesday’s Republican major. Massie has regularly damaged with Trump and Home GOP management.
These contests have grow to be referendums on Trump’s maintain over the Republican Get together forward of the 2026 midterms. Whereas Trump’s general approval scores have weakened, he stays deeply well-liked with Republican voters, giving his endorsements outsize energy in primaries. Trump has used the ability of his endorsements as a device to create incentives for political loyalty.
“I believe the message that folks ought to take from that is basically you’ve got to serve the individuals who despatched you, and should you do not try this, you are going to end up out of step with voters,” Vice President JD Vance stated in a White Home press briefing after the endorsement.
Issues from Senate Republicans over Cornyn snub
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., stated Trump’s endorsement of Paxton may make the race “3 times dearer” for Republicans.
“I like Sen. Cornyn,” Graham instructed reporters on the Capitol. “If Paxton wins the first, I shall be for him. However you do not have to be a rocket scientist to determine the pathway for Paxton is there, nevertheless it’s extra uphill. And it’ll value extra.”
Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, was blunter, calling Cornyn “a terrific senator” who has labored with Trump’s agenda.
“The truth that the president would select to endorse not Sen. Cornyn however a candidate who in all probability goes to battle mightily within the common is an issue,” Murkowski stated.
The final election
Within the closing stretch main as much as Election Day, Cornyn touted his assist for Trump, writing Monday on X that he has a 99.3% voting document with the president. Cornyn has leaned on the backing of Senate Republican management and out of doors allies, who’ve spent greater than $60 million to assist shield him, in accordance with Reuters.
Paxton, in the meantime, has sought to solid Cornyn as a creature of the Washington institution, whereas Cornyn has attacked Paxton as unfit for workplace, pointing to his years of authorized and political controversy, together with his 2023 impeachment by the Texas Home. Paxton was later acquitted by the Texas Senate.
Polling exhibits a neck-and-neck race between the 2 males.
A statewide survey from the College of Houston Interest College of Public Affairs, performed from April 28 to Could 1, discovered Paxton main Cornyn 48% to 45% amongst seemingly runoff voters, barely exterior the ballot’s margin of error.
The winner of the runoff will face Talarico in November.
Texas Senate candidate James Talarico (D-TX) speaks at a marketing campaign rally on March 2, 2026 in Houston, Texas. Talarico is visiting varied places across the state within the lead as much as tomorrow’s primaries.
Danielle Villasana | Getty Photographs
Talarico, a 37-year-old state consultant, defeated Rep. Jasmine Crockett within the March Democratic major and has posted robust fundraising numbers, together with greater than $27 million raised within the first quarter, in accordance with his marketing campaign.
“We already know who we’re working in opposition to: the billionaire mega-donors and their corrupt political system. For many years, John Cornyn and Ken Paxton have embodied a damaged politics that enriches rich donors whereas prices skyrocket for the remainder of us,” Talarico stated in a press release after the endorsement.
“Our motion to take again Texas for working individuals rises above social gathering politics — as a result of the largest battle on this nation will not be left versus proper, it is high versus backside,” Talarico stated.
Republicans are nonetheless favored to carry the Texas seat, however Democrats have pointed to the bruising GOP major as a possible opening.
A Texas Southern College ballot launched Monday discovered Talarico in shut hypothetical matchups in opposition to both Republican: Cornyn led Talarico 45% to 44%, whereas Paxton and Talarico have been tied at 45%.
Trump gained Texas by practically 14 share factors in 2024.
— CNBC’s Justin Papp contributed to this report.
