Trump Endorses Who In Texas Senate Race? GOP Shocked

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Several Senate Republicans voiced frustration Tuesday after President Trump endorsed Ken Paxton over longtime Texas Sen. John Cornyn in the state’s heated Republican Senate primary, a move many in the GOP see as a major setback for Cornyn’s reelection hopes.

The endorsement stunned some Republican lawmakers, particularly those who had been quietly pushing Trump to stand behind the four-term senator instead of Paxton, a polarizing figure who has faced years of legal and ethical scrutiny.

Susan Collins openly criticized the decision, calling Cornyn “an outstanding senator” who deserved Trump’s support.

Collins also pointed to Paxton’s legal troubles, including past allegations related to securities fraud involving a Dallas-area technology company. Although Paxton later completed a pretrial diversion agreement, the controversy has continued to follow him politically.

Lisa Murkowski said she was “supremely disappointed” by Trump’s endorsement and questioned how backing Paxton would help Republicans maintain strength in a state that has shown signs of becoming more competitive in recent elections.

Murkowski also warned that the move could potentially complicate Republican efforts to hold the Texas Senate seat against Democratic challenger James Talarico.

Trump announced his endorsement on Truth Social, where he described Cornyn as “a good man” but criticized the senator for not being sufficiently supportive of him during difficult political moments.

The endorsement was viewed by many Republicans as another example of Trump prioritizing loyalty above seniority or establishment support within the party.

John Thune, the Senate Majority Leader, had reportedly spent months privately lobbying Trump to support Cornyn. When asked about the endorsement Tuesday, Thune appeared visibly disappointed but declined to openly criticize the president, simply saying it was Trump’s decision to make.

Meanwhile, Roger Wicker avoided reporters’ questions altogether as Senate Republicans gathered for a closed-door lunch meeting shortly after the endorsement became public.

The development dramatically reshapes the Texas Republican primary heading into the May runoff election and further underscores Trump’s continued dominance over GOP politics.

While Cornyn remains a powerful figure in Washington with deep ties to Senate leadership, Trump’s backing gives Paxton a major boost among conservative grassroots voters in Texas, where the president continues to hold enormous influence within the Republican base.

The endorsement also highlights growing tensions inside the GOP between traditional Senate Republicans and Trump-aligned populist conservatives as the party looks ahead to the 2026 midterms and beyond.