Political Tides Turn in Paxton's Favor with Trump's Endorsement
Ken Paxton, the Attorney General of Texas, found himself in a bind during the state's Republican primary for Senate. He was trailing behind the incumbent, Senator John Cornyn, and it seemed like former President Trump was about to throw his support behind Cornyn. But Paxton wasn't ready to bow out just yet.
A Bold Move to Regain Trump's Favor
Paxton took a daring step. He announced that he might withdraw from the race if the Senate Republicans agreed to scrap the filibuster and pass a bill aimed at implementing new voter ID restrictions - a priority for Trump. To ensure Trump got the message, Paxton texted him directly with his announcement. It was a last-ditch effort, but it seemed to work.
Trump was already annoyed that his plans to endorse Cornyn had been leaked, and his allies were urging him not to back Cornyn, arguing it would be a betrayal to his loyal base. Trump held back his endorsement for 75 days - then, out of the blue, he gave his support to Paxton.
The Unexpected Twist
The turn of events was thrilling for Paxton's supporters who saw him as more deserving of Trump's endorsement. On the other hand, it was a blow for many of Cornyn's colleagues in the Senate.
Paxton's gamble on the voter ID restrictions bill seemed to have paid off, keeping him in the race long enough for the tides to turn in his favor. Insiders revealed that Trump had always had a soft spot for Paxton, and convincing him of Cornyn's fair-weather loyalty wasn't a difficult task.
Trump's Political Hot Streak
Trump seemed to be on a roll, having recently helped to unseat Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and a group of Indiana state lawmakers. While Cornyn and Trump generally worked well together, Trump hadn't forgotten Cornyn's comment in 2023 that Trump's time "has passed him by". Paxton regularly brought up this comment, and it's something Trump hinted at when he endorsed Paxton.
With Trump's endorsement, Paxton instantly became the favorite in the highly competitive May 26 runoff. However, this endorsement could burden Senate GOP leaders with a nominee who has been heavily attacked by Republican-affiliated groups and portrayed as unelectable.
Democrats See an Opportunity
This turn of events gave Democrats hope of upsetting the fight for Senate control. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer expressed optimism about the Democrats' chances in the Texas race following Trump's endorsement of Paxton. Inside the White House, officials acknowledged they might need to work to boost Paxton's chances, but dismissed the idea that any Republican could easily lose in a state that hasn't elected a Democrat statewide in three decades.
The Strained Relationship Between Trump and Senate GOP
Senate Majority Leader John Thune had frequently discussed the race with Trump, hoping to persuade him to support Cornyn. However, the relationship between Trump and the Senate GOP has been tense lately. This tension was due to the Senate parliamentarian rejecting Republicans' plans to secure funding for Trump's White House ballroom and Thune's criticism of a planned $1.776 billion legal compensation fund for Trump's allies.
Thune found out about Trump's endorsement of Paxton in the same way everyone else did, indicating that Trump didn't give him any advance notice. Despite this, Thune continues to back Cornyn.
The Battle for Trump's Endorsement
Even after his successful gambit with the voter ID restrictions bill, Paxton and his supporters continued to work hard to secure Trump's endorsement - or at least prevent him from endorsing Cornyn.
A pro-Paxton political action committee ran ads attacking Cornyn in the Florida media market that includes Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort. Paxton even visited the resort to meet with Trump. Back home, he continued to attend events for Trump-aligned groups.
Cornyn also made efforts to win over the president. Last week, he introduced legislation to name a major Texas highway "Interstate 47" in honor of Trump.
As early voting for the runoff started, Cornyn was confident he could finish the race without worrying about a last-minute intervention by the president. However, the outcome of the Saturday primary in neighboring Louisiana changed everything. Cassidy, the incumbent, finished third behind a Trump-backed challenger and another pro-Trump opponent. Paxton was quick to take encouragement from Cassidy's defeat.
On Tuesday morning, Trump called Paxton to let him know he would endorse him. Later that day, Trump announced his endorsement in the runoff, much to the surprise of many. Paxton managed to keep a straight face during a media appearance minutes later, simply saying, "I trust the president."
Some of Paxton's supporters believe that Trump had wanted to endorse Paxton all along but was waiting to see what he could get from Cornyn. It was a similar situation to Paxton's 2022 primary against Land Commissioner George P. Bush, where Trump briefly considered backing Bush but ended up endorsing Paxton.
"He can read the writing on the wall," said one of Paxton's supporters. "He loves Texas. Texas loves the president. I just knew that Ken Paxton was going to win."
Ken Paxton, the Attorney General of Texas, found himself in a bind during the state's Republican primary for Senate. He was trailing behind the incumbent, Senator John Cornyn, and it seemed like former President Trump was about to throw his support behind Cornyn. But Paxton wasn't ready to bow out just yet.
A Bold Move to Regain Trump's Favor
Paxton took a daring step. He announced that he might withdraw from the race if the Senate Republicans agreed to scrap the filibuster and pass a bill aimed at implementing new voter ID restrictions - a priority for Trump. To ensure Trump got the message, Paxton texted him directly with his announcement. It was a last-ditch effort, but it seemed to work.
Trump was already annoyed that his plans to endorse Cornyn had been leaked, and his allies were urging him not to back Cornyn, arguing it would be a betrayal to his loyal base. Trump held back his endorsement for 75 days - then, out of the blue, he gave his support to Paxton.
The Unexpected Twist
The turn of events was thrilling for Paxton's supporters who saw him as more deserving of Trump's endorsement. On the other hand, it was a blow for many of Cornyn's colleagues in the Senate.
Paxton's gamble on the voter ID restrictions bill seemed to have paid off, keeping him in the race long enough for the tides to turn in his favor. Insiders revealed that Trump had always had a soft spot for Paxton, and convincing him of Cornyn's fair-weather loyalty wasn't a difficult task.
Trump's Political Hot Streak
Trump seemed to be on a roll, having recently helped to unseat Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and a group of Indiana state lawmakers. While Cornyn and Trump generally worked well together, Trump hadn't forgotten Cornyn's comment in 2023 that Trump's time "has passed him by". Paxton regularly brought up this comment, and it's something Trump hinted at when he endorsed Paxton.
With Trump's endorsement, Paxton instantly became the favorite in the highly competitive May 26 runoff. However, this endorsement could burden Senate GOP leaders with a nominee who has been heavily attacked by Republican-affiliated groups and portrayed as unelectable.
Democrats See an Opportunity
This turn of events gave Democrats hope of upsetting the fight for Senate control. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer expressed optimism about the Democrats' chances in the Texas race following Trump's endorsement of Paxton. Inside the White House, officials acknowledged they might need to work to boost Paxton's chances, but dismissed the idea that any Republican could easily lose in a state that hasn't elected a Democrat statewide in three decades.
The Strained Relationship Between Trump and Senate GOP
Senate Majority Leader John Thune had frequently discussed the race with Trump, hoping to persuade him to support Cornyn. However, the relationship between Trump and the Senate GOP has been tense lately. This tension was due to the Senate parliamentarian rejecting Republicans' plans to secure funding for Trump's White House ballroom and Thune's criticism of a planned $1.776 billion legal compensation fund for Trump's allies.
Thune found out about Trump's endorsement of Paxton in the same way everyone else did, indicating that Trump didn't give him any advance notice. Despite this, Thune continues to back Cornyn.
The Battle for Trump's Endorsement
Even after his successful gambit with the voter ID restrictions bill, Paxton and his supporters continued to work hard to secure Trump's endorsement - or at least prevent him from endorsing Cornyn.
A pro-Paxton political action committee ran ads attacking Cornyn in the Florida media market that includes Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort. Paxton even visited the resort to meet with Trump. Back home, he continued to attend events for Trump-aligned groups.
Cornyn also made efforts to win over the president. Last week, he introduced legislation to name a major Texas highway "Interstate 47" in honor of Trump.
As early voting for the runoff started, Cornyn was confident he could finish the race without worrying about a last-minute intervention by the president. However, the outcome of the Saturday primary in neighboring Louisiana changed everything. Cassidy, the incumbent, finished third behind a Trump-backed challenger and another pro-Trump opponent. Paxton was quick to take encouragement from Cassidy's defeat.
On Tuesday morning, Trump called Paxton to let him know he would endorse him. Later that day, Trump announced his endorsement in the runoff, much to the surprise of many. Paxton managed to keep a straight face during a media appearance minutes later, simply saying, "I trust the president."
Some of Paxton's supporters believe that Trump had wanted to endorse Paxton all along but was waiting to see what he could get from Cornyn. It was a similar situation to Paxton's 2022 primary against Land Commissioner George P. Bush, where Trump briefly considered backing Bush but ended up endorsing Paxton.
"He can read the writing on the wall," said one of Paxton's supporters. "He loves Texas. Texas loves the president. I just knew that Ken Paxton was going to win."