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◆ Mixed look for TrumpVoting RightsElections / Campaigns

Trump endorses Ken Paxton in Senate GOP runoff

Trump’s endorsement of Paxton followed months of uncertainty and came shortly before the runoff election.

Trump endorses Ken Paxton in Senate GOP runoff
Image · Yahoo News

SOURCE CHECK

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Host credibilityYahoo News76/100 HIGH
This article1 analysis · Oct 6, 2026

Credibility rates Yahoo News, which republished this story. The other scores rate the article itself.

Republished

Republished from Texas Tribune. The relationship between the two publishers has not been determined.

Texas Tribune80/100 HIGH

57 stories · 78–81 · updated Oct 7, 2026

This is Texas Tribune's own score, and this article is credited to Texas Tribune. The host score in the Source Check is Yahoo News's.

Yahoo Newsvia Texas Tribune
May 19, 2026
tl;dr

Donald Trump endorsed Ken Paxton in Texas’s Republican Senate runoff, a week before voting ends, giving Paxton a boost against Sen. John Cornyn. The endorsement renewed attention to the race’s stakes for Republicans and to Paxton’s support for the SAVE America Act and ending the Senate filibuster.

Community verdict

27 VOTES
How does this story look for
Donald Trump R · President of the United States
● OPEN

People in this story

SWIPE →
Donald Trump
R · President of the United States

President who endorsed Paxton in the Republican Senate runoff

PRIMARY SUBJECT
Ken Paxton
R · TX

Texas attorney general and Republican Senate candidate endorsed by Trump

Paxton's version of this story ↗
John Cornyn
R · TX · SEN

Texas senator and Republican Senate candidate opposing Paxton in the runoff

Cornyn's version of this story ↗

Democratic nominee for the Texas Senate seat in the general election

Thomas Massie
R · KY-4

Kentucky representative whom Trump is trying to remove from office

John Thune
R · SD · SEN

Senate majority leader who continued to support Cornyn

Bill Cassidy
R · LA · SEN

Louisiana senator mentioned as a prior target of Trump’s endorsement efforts

Wesley Hunt
R · TX-38

Texas representative and former Republican Senate primary candidate who endorsed Paxton

Part of a bigger story

34 OUTLETS
Trump Endorses Ken Paxton in Texas Senate Republican Runoff

Outlets agree that President Donald Trump endorsed Ken Paxton over Sen. John Cornyn in the Texas Republican Senate runoff ahead of the May 26 contest. Left-leaning outlets emphasize Paxton’s controversies and present the endorsement as a possible opening for Democrats. Center outlets focus on how Trump’s choice affects the runoff, Republican strategy and November prospects. Right-leaning outlets foreground Trump’s support for Paxton, including his praise of Paxton’s loyalty and alignment with his agenda.

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