Former President Donald Trump signaled that he may soon endorse Sen. John Cornyn in the Texas Republican Senate primary, while also issuing a warning to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton during a recent interview to NEXTPULSE NEWS.
Speaking briefly by phone on Thursday morning, Trump said a final decision on his endorsement would be made “pretty soon.” The former president also responded to Paxton’s recent statement that he would remain in the race even if Trump ultimately throws his support behind Cornyn.
Earlier in the campaign, Trump had suggested that the candidate who does not receive his endorsement should consider stepping aside in order to avoid a prolonged and divisive contest within the Republican Party. However, Paxton has indicated that he has no intention of dropping out, regardless of Trump’s choice.
Republican leaders in the Senate have already urged Trump to support Cornyn, viewing him as a strong and experienced candidate. In Tuesday’s first round of the primary, Cornyn narrowly finished ahead of Paxton, setting up a closely watched runoff between the two Republicans. Because neither candidate secured enough votes to win outright, the race will now move into a runoff that could last for up to three months unless one of the contenders decides to withdraw from the campaign.
The battle between Cornyn and Paxton has become increasingly bitter and expensive, with both campaigns trading sharp personal attacks and criticism. Political groups aligned with the candidates have also become involved in the conflict. The National Republican Senatorial Committee has accused Paxton of misconduct, labeling him a “wife-cheater and fraud.” The controversy surrounding Paxton intensified recently after his ex-wife, Texas state Sen. Angela Paxton, filed for divorce citing what were described as “biblical grounds.”
As the runoff campaign continues, both Cornyn and Paxton have been working aggressively to secure Trump’s endorsement, which is widely seen as a powerful influence among Republican voters.
Trump also expressed confidence that the eventual Republican nominee would be able to defeat state Rep. James Talarico, who recently won the Democratic nomination after defeating Rep. Jasmine Crockett earlier this week.
The former president dismissed Talarico as “a terribly weak candidate,” arguing that he lacks a strong political base. Trump further criticized him as “more woke than even the very highly untalented Jasmine Crockett.”
“I think he’s going to be much easier than her,” Trump said. “He doesn’t have a real following.”
