President Donald Trump has endorsed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in the Republican Senate primary runoff against incumbent Senator John Cornyn. Trump’s endorsement, announced on Tuesday (May 19), is a significant boost for Paxton just one week before Election Day. In a Truth Social post, Trump praised Paxton as “a true MAGA Warrior” who will “tirelessly fight to continue the Great Growth of our Economy, Cut Taxes and Regulations” (CNBC).
The Texas race is closely watched as a test of Trump’s influence over Republican voters and the strength of the Senate GOP establishment. Early voting began on Monday and runs through Friday. Paxton expressed gratitude for Trump’s “COMPLETE AND TOTAL ENDORSEMENT” in a post on X, emphasizing his commitment to Trump’s America First agenda (Ballotpedia).
Cornyn, a four-term incumbent, has highlighted his record of supporting Trump, noting a 99% voting alignment with the former president. However, Trump criticized Cornyn for not being supportive during difficult times. Cornyn responded on X, stressing his past collaboration with Trump and urging voters to choose a strong nominee to defeat Democratic candidate James Talarico in November (Houston Public Media).
The runoff, scheduled for May 26, has become a referendum on Trump’s hold over the Republican Party. Polls show a tight race, with Paxton slightly leading Cornyn among likely voters. The winner will face Talarico in the general election, where Republicans are favored to retain the seat. However, some party members worry that Paxton’s controversial history could make the general election more challenging and expensive.
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