Trump endorses Ken Paxton in Republican primary runoff
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said President Trump’s support “gives the Texas Senate race a little bit of momentum.”
Fox – 7 Austin
Voting day has arrived for the Texas runoff election, which is attracting national attention.
The Republican candidate for the Texas Senate seat will be decided between incumbent John Cornyn and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
One of them will face Democratic candidate state Rep. James Talarico in the November general election.
Here’s what Texans need to know about the race as they head to the polls.
Trump supports Paxton over Cornyn
Last week, President Donald Trump finally weighed in on the Cornyn-Paxton Senate race, endorsing Paxton in a move that drew pushback from Senate Republican leadership but praise from MAGA voters.
President Trump said he chose to support Paxton because he is “extremely loyal” to the president and the MAGA movement.
The president called Cornyn a “good man,” but cited the senator’s failure to support Cornyn during “tough times” and Trump’s delay in endorsing him in the 2024 presidential election as reasons for not supporting Cornyn.
Polls show Paxton narrowly leading Cornyn in the runoff.
A poll conducted in early May by the University of Houston Hobby School of Public Affairs showed the incumbent trailing Paxton, with 7% of likely voters still undecided.
The poll, conducted among 1,200 Texans from April 28 to May 1, found that among Texans likely to vote in May’s Republican runoff, Mr. Paxton (48%) leads Mr. Cornyn (45%) by a 3-point margin.
The poll’s margin of error is plus or minus 2.83 percentage points.
Messrs. Paxton and Cornyn believe they have an equal chance of defeating Talarico in the general election.
The Hobby Poll also asked voters whether Paxton and Cornyn were likely to defeat Talarico in the November general election. Mr. Cornyn and Mr. Paxton were both tied at 43%, with 14% saying they were unfaithful to either candidate.
Polls conducted April 17-20 by the nonpartisan Texas Poll show Talarico leading both Republicans, with a 44% to 41% lead over Cornyn and a 46% to 41% lead over Paxton.
But a recent May poll conducted by the Barbara Jordan Center for Public Policy Research and Research at Texas Southern University showed Mr. Cornyn and Mr. Paxton running separately against Mr. Talarico, with the lead narrowing or reversing in the republic.Can favor.
According to the survey, if Mr. Cornyn wins the May 26 runoff, 45% of potential voters would vote for him, followed by Democrat James Tallarico with 44%, liberal Ted Brown with 3% and 8% undecided.
If Paxton wins the May 26 runoff, 45% of likely voters will go to him, Democrat James Talarico will get 45%, Libertarian Ted Brown will get 2%, and 8% will be undecided.
Mateo Rosiles is a Texas Connect reporter for USA TODAY and local Texas newspapers. Do you have any news tips for him? Email us at mrosiles@usatodayco.com.
