Building on his endorsement from President Donald Trump, Attorney General Ken Paxton has earned the support of a former opponent in the U.S. Senate race in Texas.
Paxton announced Wednesday, May 20, that former Congressman Wesley Hunt, who was bested by Paxton and incumbent U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-TX, in the March Republican U.S. Senate primary, was throwing his weight behind the attorney general in the upcoming primary runoff.
“Today, President Donald Trump has made his position unmistakably clear in the Texas Senate race, he is fully backing Attorney General Ken Paxton, and so am I,” Hunt said in a statement. “I could not be (prouder) of the campaign we ran and the nearly 300,000 Texans who stood with our movement, our message, and our mission for the future of this great state. To every supporter who believed in what we fought for, I am now asking you to unite behind the next United States Senator from Texas, Ken Paxton.”
“He has the total and complete endorsement of President Donald Trump, and he has mine as well,” he added. “Now is the time to come together, fight together, and deliver a strong America First victory for Texas and for our nation.”
The Trump endorsement, coupled with Hunt’s backing, marks a big win for Paxton and a possible deathblow for Cornyn, who continues to trail Paxton in multiple polls only days before the May 26 primary runoff election.
“I’m honored to have the support of Congressman Wesley Hunt,” Paxton said in a news release. “Wesley has fought for the America First agenda as a congressman and courageously served our country in uniform. The momentum behind this campaign has never been stronger. President Trump’s endorsement is the most powerful force in politics, and I’m proud to have his support.”
Adam Powell covers government and politics for the El Paso Times and can be reached via email at apowell@elpasotimes.com.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Wesley Hunt backs Ken Paxton after Trump endorsement
Reporting by Adam Powell, El Paso Times / El Paso Times
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