Trump said he had made up his mind about the endorsement a long time ago.
President Donald Trump endorsed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in the May 26 GOP Senate runoff in Texas.
In a May 19 post on Truth Social, Trump wrote that Paxton has been loyal to him and is a “MAGA Warrior.” The president said that Cornyn “is a good man,” but was not supportive of him “when times were tough” such as being late in endorsing him for president in 2024.
Speaking to reporters, the president said had made his decision a long time ago, though he did not specify exactly when.
In a post on X, Paxton said he is “incredibly honored” to have Trump’s endorsement.
Cornyn noted in his own X post that he has voted with Trump most of the time and that it is up to Texas GOP voters to decide who wins the race.
“I have worked closely with President Trump through both of his Presidential terms and voted with him more than 99% of the time,” he said.
“He has consistently called me a friend in this race,” Cornyn continued. “It is now time for Texas Republican voters to decide if they want a strong nominee to help our GOP candidates down ballot and defeat Talarico in November, or a weak nominee who jeopardizes everything we care about. I trust the Republican voters of Texas.”
Whoever wins the runoff will face Democratic state Rep. James Talarico in November.
Ahead of the March 3 primary, Trump chose not to endorse either candidate and has spoken positively about both men in recent months.
“They’re both friends of mine. I like them both,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on April 26, 2025.
“In a way, I wish they weren’t running against each other. But I like Paxton, I like Cornyn. They’re both good people, so I’ll make a decision somewhere, but two very good men.”
In the Republican primary, Cornyn received 41.9 percent of the vote, while Paxton earned 40.7 percent. Rep. Wesley Hunt (R-Texas) finished third with 13.5 percent.
