Daijiworld Media Network - Washington
Washington, May 19: Donald Trump on Tuesday endorsed Ken Paxton in the Republican primary runoff for the Texas Senate seat, ending months of speculation over his preferred candidate in one of the most closely watched midterm races in the United States.
Announcing the endorsement on his Truth Social platform, Trump described Paxton as a “true MAGA Warrior” and praised his loyalty and political record.
“Ken is a true MAGA Warrior who has ALWAYS delivered for Texas, and will continue to do so in the United States Senate,” Trump said.
By backing Paxton, Trump effectively turned against incumbent Senator John Cornyn, who enjoys support from much of the Republican establishment but has struggled to energise Trump’s core MAGA voter base.
“John Cornyn is a good man, and I worked well with him, but he was not supportive of me when times were tough,” Trump said, accusing Cornyn of being “very late” in endorsing him during the 2024 Republican presidential primary.
The endorsement comes as early voting is already underway ahead of the May 26 Republican runoff election.
The winner of the GOP contest will face Democratic nominee James Talarico in the general election.
Talarico has mounted a strong and well-funded campaign in the traditionally Republican state and recent polls have shown him performing competitively against both Republican candidates.
According to a poll conducted between April 17 and 20 by the nonpartisan Texas Public Opinion Research group, Talarico held a 44-41 per cent lead over Cornyn and a wider 46-41 per cent advantage over Paxton in hypothetical general election matchups.
Trump’s endorsement of Paxton comes despite controversies surrounding the Texas attorney general. Paxton was impeached by the Texas House in 2023 on bribery-related charges, though he was later acquitted in the state Senate. He has also faced recent allegations of infidelity made public by his wife.
Political observers noted that endorsing Cornyn could have alienated sections of Trump’s loyal MAGA supporters, many of whom view Paxton as more aligned with the former president’s political agenda.