Trump endorses Ken Paxton in Texas Senate race ahead of runoff

Washington — President Trump endorsed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Tuesday in the state's upcoming Senate runoff, seeking to bring to an end a costly contest just a week ahead of the runoff date.  

"Ken is a true MAGA Warrior who has ALWAYS delivered for Texas, and will continue to do so in the United States Senate," Mr. Trump said in a post on Truth Social. 

Paxton is heading to a May 26 runoff against four-term Sen. John Cornyn after neither secured 50% of the vote in the March 3 primary election. Cornyn won about 42% of the vote, while Paxton had almost 41% — ultimately a margin of about 26,000. 

Early voting started Monday in the runoff. 

Mr. Trump initially said in March that he planned to endorse a candidate in the race "soon," adding that he would tell the other candidate to drop out of the race. He said at the time that the GOP primary race in Texas "cannot, for the good of the Party, and our Country, itself, be allowed to go on any longer." But as weeks went by without an endorsement, the candidates have endured a costly extension of the primary, with the president's input appearing increasingly unlikely. 

The possibility of the endorsement has weighed heavy on the race between Paxton, a staunch ally of the president, and Cornyn, who Mr. Trump has previously criticized for questioning whether he could win a general election in 2024. And although Cornyn has worked to mend his relationship with the president and has become a vocal supporter of Mr. Trump's second–term agenda, the dynamic made for a messy primary fight. 

In his post on Tuesday, Mr. Trump said "John Cornyn is a good man, and I worked well with him, but he was not supportive of me when times were tough." He added that "John was very late in backing me" in his 2024 bid.

"Ken Paxton has gone through a lot, in many cases, very unfairly, but he is a Fighter, and knows how to WIN," the president added. "Our Country needs Fighters, and also Loyalty to the Cause of Greatness." 

Paxton was first elected to be attorney general in 2014, and he initially aggressively took on the Obama administration. He then became a close ally of Mr. Trump's, and filed the lawsuit challenging former President Joe Biden's win in the 2020 election in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Georgia and Wisconsin. That case was tossed out by the U.S. Supreme Court. 

In 2015, Paxton was indicted on securities fraud charges, and the charges were dropped as part of a pre-trial diversion deal in 2024. In 2023, he was impeached on charges of bribery, dereliction of duty and disregard of official duties by the GOP-majority Texas House of Representatives in a 121-23 vote. He was later acquitted by the state Senate. Mr. Trump had posted his support of Paxton after the trial. 

After the endorsement, Cornyn said he has worked closely with the president, who he said has "consistently called me a friend in this race." Cornyn urged Texas Republicans to stand by him in the runoff.

"It is now time for Texas Republican voters to decide if they want a strong nominee to help our GOP candidates down ballot and defeat Talarico in November, or a weak nominee who jeopardizes everything we care about," Cornyn said in a post on X. "I trust the Republican voters of Texas."

The endorsement comes despite the wishes of Senate Republicans, who are eager to hold onto the seat in November and who see Cornyn as a better candidate to take on Texas state Rep. James Talarico, the moderate Democratic nominee, in a general election. 

Senate GOP leaders backed Cornyn long before Mr. Trump weighed in on the race. And Senate Majority Leader John Thune has told reporters that Cornyn is well positioned to "win the runoff." Asked about the president's endorsement on Tuesday, Thune said "it's his decision."

Other Senate Republicans cited the difficulties Paxton will face if he secures the nomination. 

GOP Sen. Susan Collins of Maine called Paxton an "ethically challenged individual," while praising Cornyn as an "outstanding senator" who deserved the president's support.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican and close ally of the president, acknowledged that "the pathway for Paxton is there but it's more uphill and it will cost more."

"I think what we've got to do is raise a lot more money now," Graham said.

Talarico responded to the president's endorsement, saying in a statement that "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," he said. "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."