President Trump on Friday defended his decision to back Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton over incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, arguing that the senator was destined for defeat regardless of the endorsement. In an interview on Newsmax's "Finnerity," Trump dismissed any notion of buyer's remorse, saying, "No, because I think Cornyn would have lost."
Trump repeated that assessment and pivoted to praise Paxton, whom he called "the best attorney general in the history of Texas" and "one of the best in the country." The president acknowledged Paxton's unconventional style but said his record should outweigh any criticism. "He's a little bit unconventional — he's a little bit this and that — but frankly should get a lot of points by being the best," Trump said.
The endorsement has deepened a rift within the Texas GOP. Since losing the primary runoff, Cornyn has been openly critical of the Trump administration and has declined to campaign alongside Paxton. He has also voiced concerns that Paxton's legal troubles could weigh down the Republican ticket in a state that, while historically red, is now considered competitive.
Trump has escalated his attacks on Cornyn, blaming him and conservative commentator Karl Rove for not doing enough to boost Paxton's campaign. The president's frustration is echoed in his social media posts, where he has accused both men of failing to rally behind the nominee.
Meanwhile, Trump has also trained his fire on Democratic nominee James Talarico, accusing him of wanting to ban drilling in Texas. In a Truth Social post early Friday, Trump wrote, "That should be the end of his campaign." Talarico, who has been off the trail recently, dismissed the rumors as conspiracy theories, saying he was recovering from the flu.
The Texas Senate race has drawn national attention, with the Cook Political Report rating it a "toss-up" despite the state's traditional Republican leanings. Heavy spending by national GOP groups underscores the stakes. Decision Desk HQ, a nonpartisan forecaster, currently gives Talarico a 56 percent chance of winning as of Friday morning.
The intraparty conflict mirrors broader tensions within the GOP as Trump continues to shape the party's direction. His aggressive involvement in primaries has sometimes drawn criticism about candidate quality, and the Texas race is no exception.
Trump's insistence that Cornyn would have lost is a direct challenge to the senator's standing, and it signals that the president is willing to burn bridges within his own party to back loyalists. As the general election heats up, the fallout from this endorsement could have lasting implications for Republican unity in a key battleground state.
