While speaking with reporters on Monday, President Donald Trump said he's not sure who he will endorse in the U.S. Senate race between Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and U.S. Sen. John Cornyn.

"Well, I'll make up my mind," said Mr. Trump. "I like them both. The worst situation I have is when I have two people that I get along with, well, I hate it, and they all want the endorsement ... I'd rather not comment on it right now. I like both guys. They're both friends of mine and they're both good and very different."

New poll shows tight race between Cornyn and Paxton

A recent poll from Texas Southern University's Barbara Jordan Public Policy Research and Survey Center shows the race is getting tighter between Paxton and Cornyn. The August 2025 poll found Paxton's lead cut to 5 percentage points, down from 9 points in the center's May 2025 poll.

Key findings from the poll include that in a head-to-head matchup for Republican primary voters, Paxton received 44% of the vote to Cornyn's 39%, with 17% undecided.

According to the poll, 31% of likely Republican primary voters say they would never vote for Paxton in the Republican primary and 31% say they would never vote for Cornyn. 

Political analysts note that Cornyn's increased campaigning and spending over the summer have contributed to his narrowing the gap with Paxton.

Cornyn spoke with reporters in May about a previous internal poll showing him trailing Paxton. He said he worries that if Paxton becomes the Republican nominee, he would lose to a Democrat.

"The last thing we need to do is provide an opportunity for Democrats to get a beachhead in Texas," said Cornyn. "Which, depending on how the primary turns out, could happen. That would be the end of Texas being red."

The Texas Southern University poll said it followed a recent Emerson College poll that showed the race in a virtual dead heat, with Cornyn leading Paxton 30% to 29%.

Only 4% of likely Democratic primary voters say they would never vote for Beto O'Rourke for the U.S. Senate in the Democratic primary and 7% say they would never vote for Colin Allred.