Trump endorses Paxton in Texas GOP Senate primary
AP News • • nation
Key Points:
- Former President Donald Trump endorsed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in the GOP primary runoff against incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, praising Paxton as a "true MAGA Warrior" who will represent Texas effectively in the Senate.
- The endorsement energized Paxton's campaign, despite Cornyn's strong financial advantage, with Cornyn's campaign spending over $87 million on advertising compared to Paxton's $9.2 million.
- Cornyn emphasized his loyalty to Trump, noting he voted with the former president 99% of the time, and warned that Paxton would be a weak nominee in the general election against Democrat James Talarico.
- The runoff has highlighted divisions within the Texas GOP, with establishment Republicans backing Cornyn and Trump supporting Paxton, reflecting broader intra-party conflicts over the future direction of the party.
- Trump’s endorsement follows a pattern of backing candidates aligned with his agenda in GOP primaries, aiming to replace Republicans who opposed him, as seen in recent races in Louisiana and Indiana.