Overview
- President Trump endorsed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton over Sen. John Cornyn in the GOP runoff on Tuesday, shifting the intraparty contest toward Paxton.
- Paxton carries major political liabilities from a 2023 impeachment by the Texas House that accused him of using his office to help donor Nate Paul and facilitating a personal relationship tied to that donor.
- Conservative commentators warned the endorsement could weaken Republican odds, with Fox analysts saying the move puts the seat "in some danger" and editorials tying Trump to the outcome.
- The winner of the runoff will face Democratic state Rep. James Talarico in the general election, a matchup that commentators say now looks more competitive if Paxton is the nominee.
- The episode fits a wider pattern of Trump intervening in GOP primaries to enforce loyalty, a dynamic that could reshape which candidates carry electability risk for the party in November.