Trump endorses Ken Paxton over GOP incumbent John Cornyn in Texas Senate primary
Early voting is already underway for the May 26 primary runoff.
President Donald Trump on Tuesday issued an endorsement in the Texas Senate primary runoff, backing Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton over Republican incumbent John Cornyn.
Trump announced his pick in a social media post, calling Paxton "a true MAGA Warrior who has ALWAYS delivered for Texas, and will continue to do so in the United States Senate."
The president said Cornyn, who is seeking a fifth term, "is a good man, and I worked well with him, but he was not supportive of me when times were tough."
Paxton, a conservative firebrand who has become popular among the president's base despite being involved in several scandals, said he was "incredibly honored" to have Trump's endorsement and promised to promote his "America First" agenda if elected.
Trump appeared to address Paxton's past controversies in his endorsement, writing, "Ken Paxton has gone through a lot, in many cases, very unfairly, but he is a Fighter, and knows how to WIN."
Despite not receiving Trump's endorsement, Cornyn on Tuesday reiterated his commitment to the race and emphasizing his "trust" in Texas Republican voters.
Cornyn did not explicitly address Trump's comments about him, but insisted that he stands firmly by the president's side.
"I have worked closely with President Trump through both of his Presidential terms and voted with him more than 99% of the time. He has consistently called me a friend in this race," Cornyn wrote in a post on X after Trump's Paxton endorsement.
Early voting is already underway in the Republican primary runoff, set for May 26.
The winner will face Democrat James Talarico in November. Talarico, a Texas state representative, defeated Rep. Jasmine Crockett in the March 3 primaries.
"As I said on primary night, it doesn't matter who wins this runoff. We already know who we're running against: the billionaire mega-donors and their corrupt political system," Talarico said in a statement on Tuesday responding to Trump's endorsement.
"For decades, John Cornyn and Ken Paxton have embodied a broken politics that enriches wealthy donors while costs skyrocket for the rest of us," Talarico said. "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."