'A true MAGA warrior:' Trump backs Paxton in Senate GOP runoff

President Donald Trump on Tuesday made an endorsement in the contentious Republican Senate runoff in Texas, backing Attorney General Ken Paxton over incumbent Sen. John Cornyn.

What they're saying:

"Ken is a true MAGA Warrior who has ALWAYS delivered for Texas, and will continue to do so in the United States Senate," the president said on Truth Social.

"The Highly Respected Attorney General of Texas, Ken Paxton, an America First Patriot, and someone who has always been extremely loyal to me and our AMAZING MAGA MOVEMENT, is running for the United States Senate, to represent a place I love and WON, BIG, three times, with 6.4 Million Votes in 2024 (The Most Votes in the History of the State, BY FAR)!," Trump said.

The endorsement comes hours after he told White House reporters that it was happening.

Paxton and Cornyn have been locked in a battle for the nomination, with both sides calling the other unfit for office, while seeking the coveted presidential endorsement.

The president has said good things about both Cornyn and Paxton, and has not made an endorsement in the race, despite a promise to do so.

Paxton has slammed Cornyn for saying in 2020 that time has passed Trump and that he would hurt the Republican Party. Since those comments, Cornyn has been in lockstep with the president.

In Trump's endorsement, he pointed to Cornyn's lack of support during that time as a deciding factor.

What they're saying:

"John Cornyn is a good man, and I worked well with him, but he was not supportive of me when times were tough and, despite having the Most Successful Economy in the History of our Country during my First Term and, with all of the many other things that I accomplished (Secure Border, Military Dominance, Space Force, All Time High Stock Markets and 401(k)s, Record Job and Economic Growth, and so many other things that would be impossible to readily list!), which are considered by many to be legendary, John was very late in backing me in what turned out to be a Historic Run for the Republican Nomination, and then, the Presidency, itself, both of which were Landslide Victories and, more importantly, gave us the Country that we have today — THE GOLDEN AGE OF AMERICA (and when we finish up with Iran, which will not be allowed to have a Nuclear Weapon, you will see numbers that have never been generated by our Country before!), as opposed to the DISASTER of the previous Administration," the president said.

Cornyn reiterated his voting record and called Paxton a "weak nominee" in his response to the president's endorsement.

The other side:

"I have worked closely with President Trump through both of his Presidential terms and voted with him more than 99% of the time. He has consistently called me a friend in this race," Cornyn said on X. "It is now time for Texas Republican voters to decide if they want a strong nominee to help our GOP candidates down ballot and defeat Talarico in November, or a weak nominee who jeopardizes everything we care about. I trust the Republican voters of Texas."

"Ken Paxton has gone through a lot, in many cases, very unfairly, but he is a Fighter, and knows how to WIN," Trump said. "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!"

Paxton responded to the endorsement saying he was honored.

"No one has ever fought harder for the American people than President Trump, and I look forward to championing his America First agenda in the Senate!," Paxton said. "I have consistently stood by President Trump, even when the Washington establishment and career politicians like John Cornyn turned their back on the President. Now, I look forward to winning this critical Senate seat and delivering victory after victory for the people of Texas."

James Talarico's poll numbers

By the numbers:

The winner of the runoff will face Democratic challenger, James Talarico, in the general election.

A new poll out on Monday from Texas Southern University shows the potential head-to-head with Talarico.

The poll shows Cornyn with a one-point lead over Talarico, while Paxton is tied with the Democratic state representative.

Those results are within the margin of error, and show just how tight the race could be in November.

The other side:

On Tuesday, Talarico released the following statement in response to Trump's endorsement of Paxton:

"As I said on primary night, it doesn’t matter who wins this runoff. We already know who we’re running against: the billionaire mega-donors and their corrupt political system.

"For decades, John Cornyn and Ken Paxton have embodied a broken politics that enriches wealthy donors while costs skyrocket for the rest of us.

"Our movement to take back Texas for working people rises above party politics — because the biggest fight in this country is not left versus right, it’s top versus bottom."

Paxton campaigns in North Texas

Paxton will make a stop in Allen on Tuesday to campaign with Lone Star Liberty PAC in a effort to push voters to the polls for the runoff.

The rally is part of seven stops for Lone Star Liberty.

Will Trump's endorsement shift the race?

What they're saying:

"There are those that say whoever I endorse is going to win," Trump said. "I don't know if that's true. Historically that's absolutely true."

Trump went on to say he's known who he would endorse for "a long time."

Statistically speaking for the 2026 primaries, the president is correct in saying his endorsements led to victories.

Candidates endorsed by Trump in the 2026 primaries won 24 of 28 elections in Texas. Three others are currently in runoff elections. Two of those candidates received the highest number of votes in the primary.

Texas Politics2026 ElectionsKen PaxtonDonald J. TrumpTexas