In a move that has sent shockwaves through the Republican establishment, Donald Trump has officially endorsed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in the upcoming GOP Senate primary runoff against incumbent Senator John Cornyn.
Trump, citing Cornyn’s delayed endorsement of his 2024 campaign and a perceived lack of support during difficult times, has chosen to back Paxton, a long-time ally who famously supported efforts to challenge the 2020 election results.
While establishment figures like Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski have expressed dismay at the choice, Trump remains steadfast, praising Paxton as a 'winner' who has been tested at the highest levels.
The race has become a referendum on the direction of the party, with Paxton running on a platform that criticizes Cornyn for supporting gun control measures and failing to take a sufficiently aggressive stance on border security.
Cornyn, a fixture of the Senate Republican leadership for over a decade, maintains that his voting record aligns with Trump’s agenda 99% of the time and warns that Paxton’s history of personal and legal scandals makes him a risky nominee.
As early voting continues, the outcome of this primary will determine whether Texas Republicans prioritize the party's traditional guard or a new, more combative brand of leadership heading into the general election against Democrat James Talarico.
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