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● InformationalElections / Campaigns

Senate Republicans worry Trump's Paxton pick puts Texas seat in jeopardy

Trump’s endorsement of Paxton prompted Republican concerns that the party could lose the Texas Senate seat.

Senate Republicans worry Trump's Paxton pick puts Texas seat in jeopardy
Image · Fox News

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This article1 analysis · Oct 6, 2026
Fox News
May 26, 2026
tl;dr

President Donald Trump endorsed Ken Paxton over Sen. John Cornyn in Texas’s Republican Senate runoff, prompting Republican lawmakers to warn that Paxton could put the seat at risk. The article reports that both candidates’ allies continued to back their preferred contender as the runoff arrived.

Community verdict

VOTING CLOSED
How does this story look for
Ken Paxton R · TX
NOT RATEDCLOSED

No good or bad look here

This story reports what happened without casting Paxton in a good or bad light, so readers don’t rate it and it doesn’t count toward Paxton’s record.

● INFORMATIONAL

People in this story

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Ken Paxton
R · TX

Republican Senate candidate endorsed by Trump in the Texas runoff

PRIMARY SUBJECT
John Cornyn
R · TX · SEN

Republican senator and Senate candidate facing Paxton in the Texas runoff

Cornyn's version of this story ↗
Donald Trump
R · President of the United States

President who endorsed Paxton in the Texas Senate runoff

Trump's version of this story ↗

Democratic Senate candidate who will face the Republican runoff winner

Representative defeated by Talarico in the Democratic Senate primary

Steve Daines
R · MT · SEN

Senator who said Cornyn was the safer choice

John Thune
R · SD · SEN

Senate majority leader who lobbied for and continued to support Cornyn

Lisa Murkowski
R · AK · SEN

Senator who criticized Trump’s endorsement of Paxton

Bill Cassidy
R · LA · SEN

Senator who questioned Paxton’s status as a felon

Julia Letlow
R · LA-5

Representative whose primary win over Cassidy is cited as background

ALSO MENTIONED  Barack Obama, Former president cited as an endorser of Talarico

Part of a bigger story

6 OUTLETS
Trump Urges Texas Voters to Support Ken Paxton in Primary Runoff

Outlets agree that Trump endorsed Ken Paxton in the Texas Republican Senate runoff. Left-leaning outlets focus on Jeff Leach’s break with Trump over Paxton and an analyst’s warning about Republican prospects. Center outlets present Trump’s appeal for Paxton alongside criticism, polling and election implications. Right-leaning outlets cast the endorsement as a test of Trump’s influence and report Republican concerns that Paxton could put the seat at risk.

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