OAN Staff Addie Davis and Brooke Mallory
3:57 PM – Monday, May 25, 2026
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and incumbent U.S. Senator John Cornyn face off in a highly anticipated Republican primary runoff this Tuesday.
The head-to-head matchup was triggered after neither candidate secured the necessary 50% majority in the crowded March primary.
Trending: Google Reportedly Seeks To Release Millions Of ‘Specially Treated’ Mosquitoes In Two States
The race has since escalated into a high-stakes proxy war for the future of the state’s GOP, pitting Cornyn’s traditional establishment backing against Paxton’s hardline base.
The dynamic shifted significantly last week when Donald Trump officially endorsed Paxton, calling him a “true MAGA Warrior” — a massive blow to Cornyn’s campaign just days before voters head to the polls.
“Ken Paxton has my Complete and Total Endorsement to be the next United States Senator from the Great State of Texas — KEN PAXTON WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!” Trump posted to Truth Social on Tuesday.
On Sunday, the president also doubled down on his choice.
“TEXAS, REMEMBER! Ken Paxton was a GREAT Attorney General, probably the best in the Country. He was also very loyal to your favorite President, ME, as the Dumocrats played their ultimate game of Weaponization, and failed, BADLY!” Trump stated.
A key aspect of the president’s decision appears to be Paxton’s support of the SAVE America Act, which requires ID and proof of citizenship in order to vote, in addition to restricting mail-in ballots. Trump argued that Cornyn’s efforts to pass the measure were insufficient.
“Ken’s opponent was VERY disloyal to me, as President, and didn’t fight hard enough for the desperately needed SAVE AMERICA ACT,” Trump said. “Vote for Ken Paxton on Tuesday, HE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!!!”
The winner of Tuesday’s high-stakes Republican runoff will advance to the November general election to face Democrat nominee State Representative James Talarico, who secured his party’s nomination outright back in March after a highly competitive primary.
The stakes for this November matchup are historic, particularly for Texas Republicans. If Cornyn loses his primary runoff to Paxton on Tuesday, it will guarantee that Texas sends a brand-new U.S. Senator to Washington for the first time in over thirteen years.
On the other side of the aisle, Talarico faces a formidable historical hurdle of his own, as a Democrat has not won a U.S. Senate seat in the Lone Star State in over thirty years, dating back to 1988.
Stay informed! Receive breaking news alerts directly to your inbox for free. Subscribe here. https://www.oann.com/alerts
What do YOU think? Click here to jump to the comments!
Join the conversation!
Please share your thoughts about this article below. We value your opinions, and would love to see you add to the discussion!