PLANO, Texas (AP) — Texans are heading to the polls to select a Republican nominee for the U.S. Senate in a runoff election on Tuesday. This follows a lengthy and contentious primary campaign characterized by significant financial expenditures and personal attacks, with former President Donald Trump making a late endorsement to influence the outcome in favor of candidates aligned with him.
Trump's endorsement of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton over incumbent four-term Senator John Cornyn has provided a crucial boost for Paxton, who now poses a threat to Cornyn's historic bid, as losing would make Cornyn the first Republican senator in Texas to be denied the party's nomination after seeking it.
Despite Cornyn’s campaign and affiliated organizations investing approximately $90 million in advertising targeting Paxton since last year, the dynamics of loyalty within the GOP could sway the nomination in favor of the challenger. Trump’s strategic endorsement reflects his ongoing effort to remove party leaders he views as insufficiently loyal to him, following recent successful interventions in other states such as Louisiana, Kentucky, and Indiana.
Following Trump’s endorsement, Paxton's campaign and a supportive super PAC moved quickly to air advertisements promoting the endorsement. Nevertheless, Cornyn remains defiant, asserting that it is ultimately the people of Texas who will decide their senators. The victor of this primary runoff will face Democratic candidate James Talarico in the November elections.
Additionally, the runoff election will determine Democratic U.S. House nominees in districts in Dallas and Houston, both of which heavily favor Democratic candidates, as well as a seat in the San Antonio area that the party is eager to flip.
The Republican primary has been lengthy and adversarial, beginning with Cornyn leading Paxton in the March primary, which resulted in neither candidate receiving a majority due to a third contender, U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt. Cornyn’s intense negative ad campaign, focused on Paxton's ethical concerns and personal controversies, has not yielded the desired outcome, resulting in ongoing tensions within the party.
Despite Trump's late endorsement, which he delayed until after early voting commenced on May 18, Cornyn expressed awareness of the potential impact but remained resolute. In his endorsement, Trump praised Paxton's resilience amid what he termed unfair challenges, further emphasizing the need for a fighter for the cause of what he calls "greatness."
The negative tone of the campaigns may also contribute to lower voter turnout, particularly as the election follows the Memorial Day holiday weekend. With around two million of Texas' 18.7 million voters participating in the GOP primary, the hard-core Trump supporters may dominate the turnout landscape, which could benefit Paxton.
Amid these tensions, Trump has made tactical criticisms of Cornyn, asserting that he lacked support during Trump's difficult moments. Cornyn’s past comments indicating skepticism about Trump’s potential for reelection and his early critiques of Trump's border wall plan have contributed to Trump's animosity toward him. Senate GOP leaders have advocated for Cornyn, asserting that he would be stronger in a general election, cautioning that a Paxton nomination could demand considerable financial resources to mitigate vulnerabilities come fall.
On the Democratic front, newly elected Rep. Christian Menefee and veteran Rep. Al Green are competing for the party's nomination in Texas' 18th District. Meanwhile, Democratic leaders are strategizing to prevent Maureen Galindo, who has a controversial history, from securing a runoff victory in another district.
As these races unfold, the electoral landscape in Texas reflects the intense rivalry and the ongoing influence of Trump over the Republican primary process.
