by WorldTribune Staff / 247 Real News May 19, 2026

President Donald Trump on Tuesday said he is endorsing loyal America First ally Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in the Republican runoff for U.S. Senate in Texas over incumbent Sen. John Cornyn.

The runoff is set for May 26. Cornyn and Paxton were the top two finishers in the March 3 primary. The race advanced to a runoff because neither received more than 50% of the vote. Cornyn led Paxton 42.0%–40.5% in the March 3 primary.

“Ken is a true MAGA Warrior who has ALWAYS delivered for Texas, and will continue to do so in the United States Senate,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post. “Ken Paxton has gone through a lot, in many cases, very unfairly, but he is a Fighter, and knows how to WIN. Our Country needs Fighters, and also Loyalty to the Cause of Greatness.”

Trump went on to say that Cornyn is a “good man” but added, “he was not supportive of me when times were tough.” Trump also said Cornyn “was very late in backing” his 2024 run for president.

Paxton posted on X just after the announcement that he was honored to have the endorsement: “No one has ever fought harder for the American people than President Trump, and I look forward to championing his America First agenda in the Senate!.”

In a post to X after Trump’s announcement, Cornyn said he has worked closely with the president in both his terms and voted with him more than 99% of the time. “He has consistently called me a friend in this race,” Cornyn wrote. “It is now time for Texas Republican voters to decide if they want a strong nominee to help our GOP.”

Recent polling has shown the runoff to be close. Results from a recent University of Houston poll of likely runoff voters were 48% for Paxton, 45% for Cornyn, and 7% undecided.

The winner of the GOP runoff will face Democrat nominee James Talarico. A member of the Texas state legislature, Talarico defeated Rep. Jasmine Crockett in the Democrat primary.

Republicans currently have a 53-47 majority in the U.S. Senate.

Trump’s Truth Social post:

The Highly Respected Attorney General of Texas, Ken Paxton, an America First Patriot, and someone who has always been extremely loyal to me and our AMAZING MAGA MOVEMENT, is running for the United States Senate, to represent a place I love and WON, BIG, three times, with 6.4 Million Votes in 2024 (The Most Votes in the History of the State, BY FAR)!

I know Ken well, have seen him tested at the highest and most difficult levels, and he is a WINNER! Ken is a Strong Supporter of TERMINATING THE FILIBUSTER and, very importantly, THE SAVE AMERICA ACT, something which polls at 87%, including Dumocrats, and yet can’t seem to get approved. Perhaps Ken can help move these important elements of Government forward because with the Filibuster, as an example, the Democrats will terminate it on their First Day in Office, giving us two extra States, D.C. and Puerto Rico, and a greatly enlarged Supreme Court of the United States, probably going with their Dream Number of 21 Justices from the 9 that we currently have — And these new Justices will be Radical Left Lunatics! Two years ago, our Country was DEAD — Now we have the “HOTTEST” Country anywhere in the World — And I want to keep it that way. Ken Paxton will help me do that, MAKING AMERICA BIGGER, BETTER, AND STRONGER THAN EVER BEFORE!

Ken is a true MAGA Warrior who has ALWAYS delivered for Texas, and will continue to do so in the United States Senate. He will tirelessly fight to continue the Great Growth of our Economy, Cut Taxes and Regulations (I just delivered the Largest Tax and Regulation Cuts in American History!), and Advance MADE IN THE U.S.A., Unleash American Energy DOMINANCE, Champion Texas Oil & Gas, Advocate for our Amazing Farmers and Ranchers, Promote School Choice, Keep our Border SECURE, Stop Migrant Crime, Support our Incredible Military/Veterans, Safeguard our Elections, and Protect our always under siege Second Amendment.

John Cornyn is a good man, and I worked well with him, but he was not supportive of me when times were tough and, despite having the Most Successful Economy in the History of our Country during my First Term and, with all of the many other things that I accomplished (Secure Border, Military Dominance, Space Force, All Time High Stock Markets and 401(k)s, Record Job and Economic Growth, and so many other things that would be impossible to readily list!), which are considered by many to be legendary, John was very late in backing me in what turned out to be a Historic Run for the Republican Nomination, and then, the Presidency, itself, both of which were Landslide Victories and, more importantly, gave us the Country that we have today — THE GOLDEN AGE OF AMERICA (and when we finish up with Iran, which will not be allowed to have a Nuclear Weapon, you will see numbers that have never been generated by our Country before!), as opposed to the DISASTER of the previous Administration.

Ken Paxton has gone through a lot, in many cases, very unfairly, but he is a Fighter, and knows how to WIN. Our Country needs Fighters, and also Loyalty to the Cause of Greatness. We can never allow what happened to the United States of America during the Corrupt Biden Administration, to happen again. In Texas alone, just look at the Border, with the Highest Level Criminals allowed to run through your State, totally unvetted and unchecked, through an Open Border Policy that was a Laughingstock all over the World. I came in, and fixed it, IMMEDIATELY. I will not permit those dark and dangerous days to come back! WE HAVE ALREADY MADE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, BUT NOW, WE WANT TO MAKE OUR NATION BETTER THAN EVER BEFORE. Therefore, Ken Paxton has my Complete and Total Endorsement to be the next United States Senator from the Great State of Texas – KEN PAXTON WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!

DONALD J. TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

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  Trump endorses Paxton in Texas over incumbent Sen. Cornyn, WorldTribune.com