Trump Chose Loyalty Over Electability in the Republican Texas Senate Runoff

The Texas Senate field for 2026 is set after Ken Paxton ousted incumbent Senator John Cornyn in the Republican primary. Paxton is one of the most scandal-ridden politicians in the state, but has nonetheless won statewide on more than one occasion. Now, he's set to face off against James Talarico, a young Democratic state senator who openly espouses his faith.

Following the news of Paxton's victory in the primary, many wondered what motivated President Trump's decision to endorse him instead of Cornyn, even though Paxton is seen as the less electable candidate. Here's what we know.

Although Trump has not explicitly stated this, the reason that Paxton earned Trump's endorsement is because of Paxton's loyalty to the president. Paxton supported President Trump's attempts to overturn the 2020 election, and he has been vocal in his support of the president ever since. Cornyn, meanwhile, refused to abolish the filibuster in order to pass the SAVE Act, legislation that Trump was pushing hard to change the rules around elections.

Paxton was impeached by the Republican-controlled Texas Senate in 2023 when he was serving as Attorney General after he was accused of fraud and obstruction of justice, but he was ultimately acquitted in his senate trial.

"I know Ken well, have seen him tested at the highest and most difficult levels, and he is a winner!" Trump wrote on Truth Social. "John Cornyn is a good man, and I worked well with him, but he was not supportive of me when times were tough."

In the end, Paxton won the runoff by more than 20 points, a signal that Trump still has a firm grip on the party and can often dictate winners in primary races. What's less certain, though, is how Paxton will fare in the general. The idea of a blue Texas has been a major temptation for Democrats for more than 20 years, and although Paxton might look like a weak candidate, he's won in the state before.

In his victory speech, Paxton made sure to thank Trump for the endorsement that might have swung the race.

“When everyone in Washington told him to abandon me and abandon the people of Texas, he didn’t listen,” Paxton said. “Instead he gave his complete and total endorsement. President Trump is the leader of our party and his endorsement is the most powerful force in politics.”

He also spent plenty of time going after Talarico, who will be campaigning against through November. “This campaign is not about red versus blue. It’s about so much more. My opponent is the most extreme radical the Democrats have ever nominated,” Paxton told the crowd.

“The reality is James Talarico is going to be nothing more than a Texas-faced puppet for Chuck Schumer and the national Democrats."

Paxton will head into November the favorite in the race, but Talarico is going to do everything he can to make this a bitterly contested race, and to remind voters of all the scandals that lay in Paxton's past.