President Trump endorsed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Tuesday in the state's Senate runoff election, aiming to wrap up a divisive and expensive Republican primary battle just days before voters head to the polls.
The endorsement, posted on Truth Social, came one week ahead of the May 26 runoff between Paxton and four-term Sen. John Cornyn. Neither candidate reached the 50 percent threshold in the March 3 primary, where Cornyn captured roughly 42 percent of the vote and Paxton secured almost 41 percent, a difference of about 26,000 votes.
"Ken is a true MAGA Warrior who has ALWAYS delivered for Texas, and will continue to do so in the United States Senate," Trump wrote. He described Paxton as a fighter who has faced unfair challenges yet knows how to win, adding that the country needs loyalty to the cause of greatness.
Trump also addressed Cornyn directly in the same post, calling him a good man with whom he had worked well but noting that Cornyn was not supportive during tough times and was very late in backing the president's 2024 bid.
"John Cornyn is a good man, and I worked well with him, but he was not supportive of me when times were tough. John was very late in backing me."
Early voting in the runoff began Monday, setting the stage for what had become a prolonged contest. Trump had signaled in March that he intended to endorse a candidate soon and even suggested telling the other to drop out for the good of the party, but weeks passed without action, extending the costly primary fight.
The endorsement lands amid pressure from Senate Republicans, who had long backed Cornyn as the stronger general-election candidate against Democratic nominee James Talarico, a moderate state representative. Senate Majority Leader John Thune had previously told reporters that Cornyn was well positioned to win the runoff and that an early endorsement from the president would save everyone a lot of money.
Despite Cornyn's efforts to repair ties with Trump and his vocal support for the president's second-term agenda, the primary remained contentious. Trump had earlier criticized Cornyn for questioning whether he could win a general election in 2024.
Paxton, a staunch Trump ally, now carries the president's backing into the final stretch. The attorney general has positioned himself as a defender of conservative priorities throughout his tenure, a record Trump highlighted in the endorsement.
Talarico, the Democratic nominee, responded by downplaying the significance of the Republican outcome. In a statement, he said it does not matter who wins the runoff because the real opponents are billionaire mega-donors and a corrupt political system.
"We already know who we're running against: the billionaire mega-donors and their corrupt political system. Our movement to take back Texas for working people rises above party politics — because the biggest fight in this country is not left versus right, it's top versus bottom."
The race has drawn national attention as a test of Trump's influence within the GOP ahead of the November general election. With the runoff now just days away, both campaigns are expected to intensify efforts to mobilize voters in the final stretch.
Officials said the contest has already proven expensive for both sides, with the extended timeline forcing additional spending on advertising and outreach across the state. The outcome will determine the Republican nominee for the Senate seat in a state that remains a key battleground for both parties.
According to reports, Senate GOP leaders had hoped to avoid a prolonged primary battle that could weaken the eventual nominee against Talarico in the fall. The president's late intervention adds a new dynamic to the closing days of the campaign.