Trump Signals Support for John Cornyn in Texas GOP Senate Primary as Party Seeks to Avoid Runoff

U.S. President Donald Trump indicated on Wednesday that he will soon endorse a candidate in the Republican primary race for the Texas Senate seat, while urging the contender who does not receive his backing to withdraw from the contest. The move appears aimed at preventing a costly Republican runoff election and consolidating party support ahead of the general election.

According to a Republican familiar with the situation, Trump is expected to endorse incumbent U.S. Senator John Cornyn after Cornyn secured more votes than Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in Tuesday’s Republican primary. The decision comes as several GOP strategists warn that supporting Paxton could pose financial and political risks for the party.

Trump had previously remained neutral in the Republican Senate primary, declining to publicly support Cornyn, Paxton, or U.S. Representative Wesley Hunt. At the time, the president stated that he respected all three candidates. However, following the primary results, pressure has reportedly mounted within Republican circles for Trump to back Cornyn in order to avoid a divisive runoff between the two leading candidates in May.

In a social media post addressing the race, Trump emphasized the need for Republicans to unite quickly, writing, “IT MUST STOP NOW!” He added that Democrats have already chosen their nominee, Texas state Representative James Talarico, whom he described as an “easy to beat, Radical Left Opponent.” Trump argued that Republicans should shift their focus toward defeating the Democratic candidate decisively in the November election.

Republican strategists also highlighted the potential financial burden of a prolonged primary battle. One GOP activist familiar with the race said advisers are urging Trump to support Cornyn because a competitive runoff supporting Paxton could cost up to $200 million. Additionally, concerns have been raised that Paxton’s past personal and legal controversies could make him more vulnerable in a general election.

Republicans currently hold a narrow 53–47 majority in the U.S. Senate, making the Texas race strategically important. Cornyn’s campaign has argued that nominating Paxton could risk Democrats flipping Texas for the first time in nearly three decades, since 1994.

Cornyn has received strong backing from Senate Majority Leader John Thune, whose allied political groups ran aggressive advertisements targeting Paxton during the primary campaign. Speaking to Fox News, Thune expressed hope that Trump would endorse Cornyn, describing him as an effective senator who represents the party’s best chance to keep Texas firmly in Republican hands in November.