Overview
- Paxton headlined CPAC’s Reagan Dinner on Friday in Grapevine, drawing roaring support from activists as speakers praised him and knocked Cornyn.
- Trump has not endorsed either candidate as of Saturday after pulling back from a planned Cornyn nod earlier in March, according to multiple reports.
- Paxton met privately with Trump at Mar-a-Lago in mid-March, and pro-Paxton allies bought Palm Beach TV time to put anti-Cornyn messages in front of the president.
- A Change Research poll taken March 17–19 put Paxton up 42–39, and the same survey showed the race would swing based on which candidate Trump backs.
- The May 26 runoff follows a March 3 primary, Democrats have nominated James Talarico, and Paxton has tied any exit to passing the SAVE America Act that would require proof of citizenship to vote.