Trump Endorses Ken Paxton Over John Cornyn in Texas Senate Race

President Donald Trump endorsed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in the state’s Republican Senate runoff, CNBC reported Tuesday, dealing a significant blow to four-term incumbent Sen. John Cornyn just one week before the May 26 vote.

Trump’s Endorsement Shakes the Texas Senate Runoff

Trump announced his backing via Truth Social, calling Paxton a “true MAGA Warrior” who has consistently delivered for Texas. The endorsement immediately reshapes the final stretch of one of the most closely watched Republican primaries of the 2026 cycle. It also frames the Texas Senate runoff as a direct test of Trump’s hold over GOP voters against the pull of the Senate establishment.

Cornyn, who has served in the Senate since 2003, has leaned heavily on party leadership support. Outside groups backing the incumbent have spent more than $60 million to protect his seat, according to Reuters. Cornyn also highlighted his near-perfect voting alignment with Trump’s agenda, posting on X that his record stands at 99.3% in step with the president.

Background: A Race Built on Bruising History

Paxton’s path to this moment has not been smooth. The Texas House impeached him in 2023 over longstanding legal and ethical controversies. The Texas Senate later acquitted him. Paxton has used that backstory to position himself as a Washington outsider and a fighter, while painting Cornyn as entrenched in the capital’s political machinery. Cornyn has countered by questioning Paxton’s fitness for office and pointing to the years of controversy surrounding him.

Also Read: What the 2026 Midterm Landscape Means for Senate Control

Polls Show a Knife-Edge Race

Surveys taken ahead of Tuesday’s endorsement showed the candidates locked in a tight contest. A University of Houston Hobby School poll conducted in late April placed Paxton at 48% and Cornyn at 45% among likely runoff voters, a narrow lead just outside the margin of error. A separate Texas Southern University poll found that either Republican would face a competitive general election against Democratic nominee James Talarico, a 37-year-old state representative. That survey showed Cornyn leading Talarico by a single point and Paxton tied with the Democrat at 45% apiece.

Talarico raised more than $27 million in the first quarter, and Democrats see the contentious GOP primary as a potential foothold. Texas remains heavily Republican territory — Trump carried the state by nearly 14 points in 2024 — but party strategists are watching closely.

Early voting runs through Friday ahead of next Tuesday’s decisive contest.

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