Trump flexes endorsement power for Ken Paxton after ousting Cassidy, targeting Massie
President donald trump endorsed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in Texas’ republican Senate primary runoff Tuesday, throwing his weight behind a hard-line ally and dealing a significant blow to incumbent Sen. John Cornyn one week earlier than the state’s Election Day.
The endorsement provides Paxton a significant increase in one of many GOP’s most carefully watched Senate primariesa race that has turn into a check of Trump’s grip on Republican voters and the energy of the Senate GOP institution.
“Ken is a true MAGA Warrior who has ALWAYS delivered for Texas, and will continue to do so in the United States Senate. He will tirelessly fight to continue the Great Growth of our Economy, Cut Taxes and Regulations,” Trump said in a Truth Social post. “Ken Paxton has gone through a lot, in many cases, very unfairly, but he is a Fighter, and knows how to WIN. Our Country needs Fighters, and also Loyalty to the Cause of Greatness.”
The May 26 runoff pits Paxton, a longtime trump allyin opposition to Cornyn, a four-term incumbent who has served within the Senate since 2003. Early voting started Monday and runs via Friday.
The Texas race is the most recent instance of Trump flexing his affect in Republican primaries as he strikes to punish legislators he views as insufficiently loyal and rewarding candidates aligned along with his political motion.
“John Cornyn is a good man, and I worked well with him, but he was not supportive of me when times were tough and, despite having the Most Successful Economy in the History of our Country during my First Term and, with all of the many other things that I accomplished,” Trump posted.
It is the third main GOP major race in a brief span the place Trump has exerted his affect.
Trump helped finish the reelection bid of Sen. Bill Cassidyto Louisiana Republican who voted to convict him in his second impeachmentand is backing Ed Gallrein, a former Navy SEAL difficult Rep. Thomas MassieR-Ky., in Tuesday’s republican major. Massie has continuously damaged up with Trump and House G.O.P. management.
Those contests have turn into referendums on Trump’s maintain over the Republican Party forward of the 2026 midterms. While Trump’s general approval ratings ‘have weakened, he stays deeply in style with Republican voters, giving his endorsements outsize power in primaries.’
In the ultimate stretch main as much as Election Day, Cornyn touted his assist for Trump, writing Monday on X that has to 99.3% voting record with the president. Cornyn has leaned on the backing of Senate Republican management and outdoors allies, who’ve spent greater than $60 million to assist defend him, in line with Reuters.
Paxton, in the meantime, has sought to forged Cornyn as a creature of the Washington institution, whereas Cornyn has attacked Paxton as unfit for workplace, pointing to his years of legal and political controversytogether with his 2023 impeachment by the Texas House. Paxton was later acquired by the Texas Senate.
Polling reveals a neck-and-neck race between the 2 males.
TO statewide survey from the University of Houston Hobby School of Public Affairscarried out from April 28 to May 1, discovered Paxton main Cornyn 48% to 45% amongst possible runoff voters, barely exterior the ballot’s margin of error.
The winner of the runoff will face Democratic nominee James Talarico in November.
Talarico, a 37-year-old state consultant, defeated Rep. Jasmine Crockett within the March Democratic primary and has posted robust fundraising numbers, together with greater than $27 million raised within the first quarter, in line with his marketing campaign.
Republicans are nonetheless favored to carry the Texas seat, however Democrats have pointed to the bruising GOP major as a possible opening.
To Texas Southern University poll released Monday discovered Talarico in shut hypothetical matchups in opposition to both Republican: Cornyn led Talarico 45% to 44%, whereas Paxton and Talarico have been tied at 45%.
trump won Texas by practically 14 share factors in 2024.
