President Donald Trump has endorsed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in the state's Republican Senate primary runoff, bolstering Paxton's bid to unseat incumbent Senator John Cornyn. The endorsement comes just one week before voting ends in a contest described as expensive, vicious, and increasingly personal.
In a social media post on Tuesday, Trump praised Paxton as an "America First Patriot" and a "true MAGA Warrior," citing his loyalty. Trump further criticized Senator Cornyn, stating that the four-term senator was "very late" to support his 2024 campaign. While Cornyn has backed Trump's agenda in Washington, Paxton has pitched himself as a political warrior for the Make America Great Again movement.
The decision follows pressure from Trump's base to support the attorney general, despite advisers who urged the president to back Cornyn, arguing that Paxton carries too much baggage. This move marks the second time Trump has acted against sitting GOP senators in 2026, throwing an eleventh-hour curveball into the tightly contested primary.
Paxton and Cornyn remain locked in a bitter runoff to determine which Republican will face Democrat James Talarico in November. Current polls show mixed results, indicating a close battle between the candidates.