Washington — President Trump endorsed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Tuesday in the state's upcoming Senate runoff, seeking to bring to an end a costly contest just a week ahead of the runoff date.
"Ken is a true MAGA Warrior who has ALWAYS delivered for Texas, and will continue to do so in the United States Senate," Mr. Trump
said in a post on Truth Social.
The possibility of the endorsement has weighed heavy on the race between Paxton, a staunch ally of the president, and Cornyn, who Mr. Trump has previously criticized for questioning whether he could win a general election in 2024. And although Cornyn has worked to mend his relationship with the president and has become a vocal supporter of Mr. Trump's second–term agenda, the dynamic made for a messy primary fight.
In his post on Tuesday, Mr. Trump said "John Cornyn is a good man, and I worked well with him, but he was not supportive of me when times were tough." He added that "John was very late in backing me" in his 2024 bid.
"Ken Paxton has gone through a lot, in many cases, very unfairly, but he is a Fighter, and knows how to WIN," the president added. "Our Country needs Fighters, and also Loyalty to the Cause of Greatness."
The endorsement comes despite the wishes of Senate Republicans, who are eager to hold onto the seat in November and who see Cornyn as a better candidate to take on Texas state Rep. James Talarico, the moderate Democratic nominee, in a general election.
About time but still a bold move. It strikes at the black heart of the RINOs in the Senate.
