Nikki McCann Ramirez
View all posts by Nikki McCann Ramirez May 19, 2026
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton campaigns at an event on February 28, 2026 in Fort Worth, Texas. Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images After months dangling the carrot, Donald Trump has finally endorsed a candidate in next week’s runoff for the Texas Republican Senate nomination.
The president has thrown his support to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, bucking four-term incumbent Senator John Cornyn and instead tipping the scales in favor of a far-right attack dog that — much like himself — has overcome a myriad of political and personal scandals — mostly by bluster and apparent shamelessness.
“Ken Paxton has gone through a lot, in many cases, very unfairly, but he is a Fighter, and knows how to WIN. Our Country needs Fighters, and also Loyalty to the Cause of Greatness,” Trump wrote in a lengthy Truth Social post explaining his decision. “WE HAVE ALREADY MADE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, BUT NOW, WE WANT TO MAKE OUR NATION BETTER THAN EVER BEFORE. Therefore, Ken Paxton has my Complete and Total Endorsement to be the next United States Senator from the Great State of Texas – KEN PAXTON WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!”
The president included some conciliatory words for Cornyn, calling him a “good man,” but accusing him of not being “supportive of me when times were tough.” By contrast, Trump extolled Paxton as having been “extremely loyal to me and our AMAZING MAGA MOVEMENT.”
The runoff is set to take place on Tuesday, May 26. Cornyn narrowly edged out Paxton in the states primary, which took place in March. Trump initially floated endorsing his favored candidate, and having the other drop out in order to focus on the general race against Democratic candidate James Talarico, but held off for two more months.
