Republican voters in Texas will make their second attempt to nominate a candidate for the U.S. Senate in a primary runoff election this Tuesday. Described as the electoral version of the Texas two-step, this vote marks the final say in a drawn out, vitriolic, and expensive primary campaign.
The race features incumbent Senator John Cornyn facing off against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. President Donald Trump's endorsements loom large over the runoff, as he endorsed Paxton last week. This move is seen as part of a larger effort by Trump to punish incumbent Republicans he has deemed insufficiently loyal or devoted to him.
The two candidates present contrasting challenges. While Ken Paxton has faced numerous scandals, Senator Cornyn has failed to excite the party base.
Democrats are watching the proceedings closely, hoping the outcome could help them flip both houses of Congress in November. This runoff brings to a close a bitter primary where Trump's late intervention sought to reshape the GOP leadership.