Ken Paxton and John Cornyn advanced to a May 26 Republican primary runoff after a March 3 primary. Wesley Hunt finished third and did not advance. Paxton positioned himself as a political warrior aligned with the Make America Great Again movement, while Cornyn has backed Trump’s agenda in Washington. Trump’s endorsement places him against Republican establishment preferences that view Cornyn as the stronger candidate for the November general election. The runoff is expected to be costly and to divert resources from other competitive races. Trump delayed endorsing earlier, then promised an endorsement after the primary and urged the other candidate to drop out, while Paxton refused to exit. Cornyn has previously criticized Trump’s chances and opposed his border wall plan before later supporting it.
"Paxton and Cornyn qualified for the May 26 runoff after a March 3 primary, while Rep. Wesley Hunt finished third and did not advance. Although the four-term Cornyn has backed Trump's agenda in Washington, Paxton pitched himself as a political warrior for the Make America Great Again movement. Trump's endorsement puts him at odds with his party's establishment, which is convinced that Cornyn is the better candidate for November's general election. The Democrats nominated Texas State Rep. James Talarico as their candidate for Senate."
"The runoff had been shaping up as a bitter and expensive battle for the future of the Republican Party, and one that was diverting resources from other competitive races elsewhere in the country. Trump frustrated some Republicans by declining to endorse earlier in the race. On the Friday before the March 3 primary, he said that he had "pretty much" decided whom to support - but declined to say who - when asked by reporters on a visit to Corpus Christi."
"On the day after the primary, Trump promised to make an endorsement and said he would expect the candidate without his support to drop out. Paxton had said that he would not leave the race. Trump has had an at-times cool relationship with Cornyn, notably after the senator suggested in 2023 that Trump could not win the presidency again in 2024 and that his "time has passed him by.""
"A former state attorney general and state Supreme Court judge, Cornyn was first elected to statewide office 36 years ago. His understated style and judge's temperament contrast with the fiery rhetoric of Trump and his Make America Great Again movement. Cornyn also was an early critic of Trump's plan for a border wall between the U.S. and Mexico - a project he now supports."
Read at ABC7 Los Angeles
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