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Trump backs Ken Paxton against incumbent Sen. John Cornyn in Texas92%
5/20/2026, 11:03:55 PM
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Trump backs Ken Paxton against incumbent Sen. John Cornyn in Texas
Texas is gearing up for a runoff election next week in the state Senate Republican primary.
Now, with a last-minute endorsement, President Trump announced his support for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who's challenging incumbent Senator John Cornyn.
Some Republicans are worried it could put them at risk of losing to Democrats come November.
Trump-backed primary challengers have already successfully defeated at least two incumbent candidates targeted by the president.
One of those defeats came last night.
Congressman Thomas Massie conceded to Ed Ryan.
Ryan.
Trump-endorsed candidates also saw success in Alabama and Georgia.
CBS News Political Director Fin Gomez joins me now.
So, Fin, talk to us about the potential political ramifications of President Trump's endorsement in Texas.
Yeah, Lindsey, this is a major last-minute jolt to a race that's already the most expensive ex- expensive Senate primary in history.
President Trump's endorsement is a major boost, of course, for Ken Paxton heading into this May 26 runoff because it consolidates much of that Republican base behind him at a critical moment just before the runoff.
But, it's also exposing a divide within the Republican Party.
Uh many of establishment Republicans and some Senate Republicans have worried that Paxton, despite his strong support with the MAGA base and the MAGA voters, could be a riskier general election candidate first first Democrat James Talarico because of past controversies and legal baggage.
So, some Republicans I'm speaking to are nervous.
Paxton carries that serious baggage and and Talarico has been out-fundraising both Republicans and has been in tied essentially in some of the early polling that we've seen just this week.
Uh so, that fear by some inside the Republican Party is simple.
A Paxton nomination could put a Texas seat in play this November.
Uh Paxton supporters say, "Hold on a minute."
Uh Paxton has won statewide and it's still ruby-red Texas where a Democrat has not won in a statewide race since 1994, Lindsey.
How are you viewing the power of the president's endorsement through the lens of what we saw last night?
Yeah, that's a great question, Lindsey, because, you know, last night was a a real demonstration of just how much political muscle a Trump endorsement still has inside the Republican Party in these Republican primaries.
Thomas Massie, who you mentioned, he was a 14-year He's a 14-year incumbent, a libertarian conservative who repeatedly bucked the president on a number of different issues.
He got beaten by candidate that Trump had personally recruited, and that makes Massie and at least the the second incumbent Republican in Congress that President Trump has helped oust this cycle.
If you recall, Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana earlier this week was also also lost in a primary.
But the takeaway is simple here, Lindsey.
If you cross the president in a Republican primary in this midterms, you can you could potentially become politically vulnerable.
But the real test, of course, is still the general elections in in many of these races, Lindsey.
>> What are you looking for in Georgia?
Georgia is a crucial battleground state, perennial battleground state.
This June 16th runoff is now between Congressman Mike Collins versus former Tennessee football coach Derrick Dooley, and it's essentially a proxy fight inside the Georgia Republican Party.
Collins is the MAGA is in the MAGA lane, a close Trump ally.
Dooley was recruited by Governor Brian Kemp, a Republican representing more of that traditional conservative wing.
So, expect this runoff to be to really be a proxy fight between two two different camps within the party, Lindsey.
Ingram, thank you.
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