President Donald Trump has endorsed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in the Texas Senate runoff race.
“The Highly Respected Attorney General of Texas, Ken Paxton, an America First Patriot, and someone who has always been extremely loyal to me and our AMAZING MAGA MOVEMENT, is running for the United States Senate,” Trump said in a social media post.
This long-awaited endorsement comes as early voting in Texas started Monday, May 18, for the Republican U.S. Senate primary runoff between Paxton and incumbent John Cornyn, among other runoff elections across the state.
Trump said in his post that Cornyn is a “good man,” but cited the senator’s lack of support for him when “times were tough” and his late backing during Trump’s 2024 presidential run as reasons he did not endorse him.
Paxton also took to social media, saying he was honored to be endorsed by the president.
“No one has ever fought harder for the American people than President Trump, and I look forward to championing his America First agenda in the Senate!” read Paxton’s statement.
Recent polling in early May shows that Paxton narrowly leads Cornyn in the race, with Election Day being on May 26.
The race between the two to become the Republican nominee has grown increasingly bitter, with each airing several politically and personally charged attack ads over the past few weeks.
While Paxton gained Trump’s support today, neither candidate has won the backing of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who ruled out endorsing either candidate last week.
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz have also not endorsed either candidate.
The winner of the runoff election is set to face the Democratic nominee, state Rep. James Talarico, in the November 2026 general election.
Cornyn responds to Trump endorsing Paxton
After Trump announced his endorsement, Sen. Cornyn said he has worked closely with Trump during both presidential terms and voted with him more than 99% of the time in a statement.
“He has consistently called me a friend in this race,” read the statement. “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. I trust the Republican voters of Texas.
A recent poll shows Cornyn and Paxton statistically tied in hypothetical general-election matchups against Talarico.
Talarico responds to Trump’s endorsement of Paxton
Talarico’s camp released a statement on Trump weighing in on the Paxton-Cornyn Republican runoff election, saying it really doesn’t matter who wins the runoff election
“We already know who we’re running against: the billionaire mega-donors and their corrupt political system. For decades, John Cornyn and Ken Paxton have embodied a broken politics that enriches wealthy donors while costs skyrocket for the rest of us,” read Talarico’s statement.
The Democratic nominee noted that his movement to take Texas back for the working people rises above partisan politics.
Mateo Rosiles is the Texas Connect reporter for USA TODAY and its regional papers in Texas. Got a news tip for him? Email him at mrosiles@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Trump endorses Paxton in Texas US Senate Republican runoff over Cornyn
Reporting by Mateo Rosiles, USA TODAY NETWORK / El Paso Times
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
