Trump Heads to Texas Amid Heated GOP Senate Primary/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ President Donald Trump heads to Texas while three of his allies compete in a bitter Republican Senate primary. Sen. John Cornyn, Attorney General Ken Paxton and Rep. Wesley Hunt are vying for the nomination without Trump’s endorsement. The high-stakes race could head to a runoff if no candidate wins a majority.
Trump Texas Senate Primary Quick Looks
- Trump visits Texas days before GOP primary voting.
- Sen. John Cornyn seeks a fifth term amid party divisions.
- Ken Paxton and Wesley Hunt challenge Cornyn in personal, high-dollar race.
- Trump has declined to endorse any of the three candidates.
- Senate GOP leaders back Cornyn as strongest general election choice.
- Paxton’s past impeachment and controversies loom over campaign.
- Hunt highlights early support for Trump and RNC role.
- Runoff election scheduled if no candidate reaches 50%.
Deep Look: Trump Heads to Texas Amid Heated GOP Senate Primary
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump is heading to Texas for his first trip since delivering his State of the Union address, stepping into a fierce Republican Senate primary where three of his political allies are battling for the nomination.
Despite the high stakes of the race, Trump has declined to endorse any of the candidates — a rare show of neutrality in a contest featuring Sen. John Cornyn, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Rep. Wesley Hunt. All three have strongly aligned themselves with Trump and are eager to demonstrate their loyalty as primary voters prepare to cast ballots Tuesday.
Trump’s visit will focus on promoting his administration’s energy and economic agenda. He is scheduled to receive an energy briefing at the Port of Corpus Christi before delivering remarks highlighting domestic energy production — a central pillar of his campaign message heading into the midterms.
A Complicated GOP Showdown
The Texas Senate primary has evolved into one of the most closely watched Republican contests of the year. Cornyn, seeking a fifth term, faces deep skepticism from parts of the GOP base. Some conservatives remain frustrated by his initial reluctance to embrace Trump’s 2024 political comeback and his role in negotiating bipartisan gun legislation after the 2022 school shooting in Uvalde.
Yet Senate Republican leadership sees Cornyn as a proven statewide candidate capable of holding the seat in November. Allies argue that nominating Paxton could expose the party to significant political risk.
Paxton survived impeachment in 2023 over fraud allegations and has faced scrutiny related to personal controversies involving his wife, state Sen. Angela Paxton. National Republican campaign officials have privately warned that a Paxton nomination could dramatically increase the cost of defending the seat.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Sen. Tim Scott, who chairs the National Republican Senatorial Committee, have urged Trump to back Cornyn. Scott recently said retaining the Texas seat could become significantly more difficult without Cornyn as the nominee.
Hunt’s Late Push
Hunt, a Houston-area congressman in his second term, entered the race later but has sought to capitalize on his strong ties to Trump. He endorsed Trump early in the 2024 presidential campaign, campaigned on his behalf and secured a prime-time speaking slot at the Republican National Convention.
Hunt has portrayed himself as the candidate most closely aligned with Trump’s agenda and has appeared in advertisements highlighting their relationship.
With no clear frontrunner, the possibility of a runoff looms. Texas requires a candidate to win more than 50% of the vote to avoid a second round. If no one achieves that threshold, the top two finishers will face off in a May 26 runoff election.
Trump’s Strategic Neutrality
Earlier this month, Trump suggested he was taking “a serious look” at endorsing in the race, fueling speculation that he might tip the balance. But he has since reiterated that he remains neutral.
“I like all three of them,” Trump said recently. “They’ve all supported me. They’re all good.”
His hesitation reflects the delicate political calculus. Endorsing one candidate risks alienating the others and potentially fracturing Republican unity in a state critical to the party’s Senate majority strategy.
Meanwhile, advertising across Texas has emphasized each candidate’s ties to Trump. Cornyn has run ads touting his support for Trump’s policies, while Paxton and Hunt have aired spots featuring themselves alongside the president.
Broader Texas Primary Battles
Trump has been more decisive in other Texas primaries. In the state’s 34th Congressional District, he has endorsed Eric Flores over former Rep. Mayra Flores in a GOP contest to challenge Democratic Rep. Vicente Gonzalez.
He has also backed Rep. Tony Gonzales, who is fending off a primary challenge from gun rights advocate Brandon Herrera following controversy over allegations of an affair. Gonzales has denied wrongdoing and refused calls to step down.
Democrats, meanwhile, are holding their own contested Senate primary between state Rep. James Talarico and Rep. Jasmine Crockett, though Texas remains a reliably Republican stronghold in statewide elections.
High Stakes Ahead
Trump’s Texas visit underscores the political importance of the state as Republicans seek to maintain control of the Senate. His focus on energy policy aligns with Texas’ oil and gas industry, while the unresolved Senate primary highlights ongoing ideological divisions within the GOP.
If no candidate secures a majority next week, the race will extend into late spring, prolonging one of the most contentious Republican primaries in the country.
For now, Trump appears content to celebrate all three contenders — leaving Texas voters to decide which of his allies will carry the Republican banner in November.
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