Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in Dallas, March 3, 2026, President Donald Trump in Washington, May 11, 2026 and Sen. John Cornyn in Washington, March 18, 2026.AP/EPA/Shutterstock
On Tuesday, President Donald Trump declared his support in the Texas Senate primary runoff, favoring Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton over Republican incumbent John Cornyn.
Trump revealed his preference in a social media posting, referring to Paxton as "a true MAGA Warrior who has ALWAYS delivered for Texas, and will continue to do so in the United States Senate."
The president mentioned Cornyn, who is vying for a fifth term, "is a good man, and I worked well with him, but he was not supportive of me when times were tough."
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in Dallas, March 3, 2026, President Donald Trump in Washington, May 11, 2026 and Sen. John Cornyn in Washington, March 18, 2026.AP/EPA/Shutterstock
Paxton, a staunch conservative who has gained popularity among the president’s supporters despite being entangled in multiple controversies, expressed that he was "incredibly honored" to secure Trump’s backing and pledged to advance his "America First" agenda should he be elected.
Trump seemed to acknowledge Paxton’s prior issues in his endorsement, stating, "Ken Paxton has gone through a lot, in many cases, very unfairly, but he is a Fighter, and knows how to WIN."
Despite not obtaining Trump’s support, Cornyn reaffirmed his dedication to the race on Tuesday, emphasizing his "trust" in Texas Republican voters.
Cornyn did not directly address Trump’s remarks about him but maintained that he stands firmly with the president.
"I have worked closely with President Trump through both of his Presidential terms and voted with him more than 99% of the time. He has consistently called me a friend in this race," Cornyn penned in a post on X following Trump’s endorsement of Paxton.
Early voting is currently in progress in the Republican primary runoff, scheduled for May 26.
The victor will contend with Democrat James Talarico in November. Talarico, a Texas state representative, defeated Rep. Jasmine Crockett in the March 3 primaries.
"As I said on primary night, it doesn't matter who wins this runoff. We already know who we're running against: the billionaire mega-donors and their corrupt political system," Talarico stated in a declaration on Tuesday responding to Trump’s backing.
"For decades, John Cornyn and Ken Paxton have embodied a broken politics that enriches wealthy donors while costs skyrocket for the rest of us," Talarico added. "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."
Sourse: abcnews.go.com