Trump Endorses Ken Paxton Over Incumbent John Cornyn in Texas GOP Senate Primary Runoff

May 20, 2026

President Donald Trump endorsed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton over incumbent Senator John Cornyn in their May 26, 2026 Republican primary runoff, defying advisers who urged support for Cornyn due to concerns about Paxton's legal baggage including a 2023 impeachment acquittal and resolved securities fraud case. The endorsement, announced one week before the election at a Paxton event in Allen, Texas, frames the contest as a loyalty test despite Cornyn's massive spending advantage of $87 million versus Paxton's $9.2 million. Republican Senate leaders including Tim Scott and Cynthia Lummis have warned that Paxton's nomination could jeopardize the traditionally safe Texas seat, forcing the party to spend heavily to defend it against Democratic state Rep. James Talarico in November. Trump's intervention continues a pattern of successful primary challenges, having recently helped defeat Rep. Thomas Massie in Kentucky and five Indiana state senators who opposed his redistricting plan.

Trump endorsement announcement

▪Donald Trump wrote on social media that Ken Paxton is a true MAGA Warrior who has always delivered for Texas.
▪Donald Trump's endorsement helped dislodge five of seven Republican state senators seeking reelection in Indiana's May 5, 2026 primary after they voted against the White House-backed redistricting plan in December 2025.
▪Donald Trump's endorsement of Ken Paxton was announced during a Paxton campaign event in Allen, Texas on May 20, 2026.
▪Donald Trump stated in his social media post that John Cornyn was not supportive of Trump when times were tough.
▪Donald Trump endorsed Ed Gallrein, who defeated U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie in Kentucky's primary on May 20, 2026.
▪President Donald Trump endorsed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in the Republican primary for the U.S. Senate on May 20, 2026.

Primary runoff dynamics

▪Ken Paxton and John Cornyn advanced to a May 26, 2026 runoff after finishing as the top vote-getters in a March 3, 2026 primary in which no candidate won a majority.
▪Early voting for the Texas GOP Senate primary runoff started on May 19, 2026 and continues through May 23, 2026.
▪Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy finished third in Louisiana's primary, therefore out of the running in the June 27, 2026 runoff for the Republican nomination.
▪The Republican nominee in the Texas Senate race will face Democratic state Rep. James Talarico in November 2026.
▪John Cornyn stated at a campaign event in Lubbock on May 20, 2026 that Donald Trump's endorsement will certainly have an impact on the race.

Campaign spending disparity

▪Ken Paxton's campaign groups and a single super PAC have spent a total of $9.2 million on advertising as of May 20, 2026.
▪John Cornyn's campaign organizations and allied super PACs have spent more than $87 million on advertising as of May 20, 2026, according to the ad-tracking firm AdImpact.
▪John Cornyn's campaign and supporting groups spent more than $18.5 million on advertising since the March 3, 2026 primary.

Senate Republican concerns

▪South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, warned that it is a strong possibility Republicans cannot hold Texas if John Cornyn is not the nominee.
▪Republican Sen. Cynthia Lummis stated she believed John Cornyn had a better chance of winning the general election than Ken Paxton.

Trump-Cornyn relationship history

▪John Cornyn was first elected to statewide office 36 years before 2026.
▪John Cornyn suggested in 2023 that Donald Trump could not win the presidency again in 2024 and that Trump's time has passed him by.