Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) acknowledged Monday that he no longer expects to receive an endorsement from President Trump in the state's GOP Senate primary runoff, effectively conceding that the president will not wade into the contest between him and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R).
“I think that ship has finally sailed,” Cornyn told reporters after casting his ballot in Austin, according to the Austin American-Statesman’s John Moritz. The comment marked a sharp shift in tone for the four-term incumbent, who has spent recent weeks touting his alignment with Trump and even has a pinned post on X showing the two together on the 2024 campaign trail.
Despite Trump’s silence in the race, Cornyn left the door open for a potential campaign visit from the president in the fall if he wins the runoff. “I’d welcome his help in the general election,” Cornyn said, though he acknowledged that the immediate focus is on the May 26 runoff.
Trump on Monday endorsed more than two dozen Republican candidates nationwide but notably skipped the Texas Senate runoff. However, according to Semafor’s Shelby Talcott, the president said Tuesday he plans to make an endorsement in the race around 12:30 or 1 p.m. EDT. That timing could upend the final days of early voting, which runs through Friday.
Cornyn has repeatedly attacked Paxton as unfit for office, pointing to his impeachment by the Texas House in 2023 on charges of bribery and obstruction of justice. The Texas Senate later acquitted Paxton, but the allegations have lingered. Paxton’s ex-wife, state Sen. Angela Paxton (R), also accused him of infidelity during divorce proceedings last year. Paxton, a staunch Trump ally, has refused to drop out despite Trump’s earlier suggestion that he would endorse one candidate and ask the other to exit.
A recent poll from the University of Houston’s Hobby School of Public Affairs showed a tight race: 48% of likely runoff voters backed Paxton, 45% supported Cornyn, and 7% were undecided. The margin of error was 2.83 percentage points, making the contest essentially a toss-up.
Whoever wins the runoff will face Democratic state Rep. James Talarico, a 37-year-old progressive who defeated Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) in the March primary. Talarico’s campaign reported raising over $27 million in the first quarter of 2024, including more than $10 million after the primary, and had $9.8 million on hand as of March 31, according to the Federal Election Commission.
The Texas runoff is one of several high-profile primaries this year where Trump’s endorsement power is being tested. In Louisiana, Sen. Bill Cassidy’s loss sent a stark warning to other Senate Republicans about the consequences of crossing Trump. Meanwhile, in Kentucky, Rep. Thomas Massie is battling Trump’s wrath and a well-funded opponent.
Cornyn’s shift in expectations comes amid a broader pattern of Trump either staying neutral or wading into races late, often with unpredictable results. For now, the Texas senator appears to be running his own race, without the president’s seal of approval.
