Texas Runoff Pits Cornyn Against Trump-Backed Paxton

Texas voters decide Tuesday between longtime Republican Sen. John Cornyn and state Attorney General Ken Paxton in a runoff that has become the costliest Senate primary in U.S. history. President Donald Trump threw his weight behind Paxton just days before the vote, labeling Cornyn "VERY disloyal" and elevating the contest into a direct test of whether the president's endorsement can still override party establishment preferences in a reliably red state.

Cornyn, first elected in 2002 and a former Senate Republican whip, finished narrowly ahead of Paxton in the March primary with 42 percent to the attorney general's 40.5 percent. Neither reached a majority, forcing the runoff. Trump had initially held back, fueling speculation he might back the incumbent, but he ultimately chose Paxton, a longtime ally who has faced multiple investigations over allegations of corruption, financial impropriety and personal misconduct. Those issues have done little to dent his support among voters drawn to his aggressive legal challenges against federal policies and his vocal defense of Trump during past impeachments.

The outcome carries immediate consequences for Senate control. Republicans currently hold a slim 53-47 majority and must defend more seats than Democrats this cycle. The winner of the GOP nomination will face state Rep. James Talarico, a rising Democratic figure who defeated progressive Rep. Jasmine Crockett in the March primary. No Democrat has won a statewide race in Texas since 1994, yet party strategists view the seat as newly competitive if Paxton becomes the nominee and forces national Republicans to spend heavily to defend it.

Campaign events have underscored the party's internal split. At a recent Paxton rally in the Houston suburb of Katy, supporters danced to "YMCA" and dismissed Cornyn as too close to Democrats. One attendee told reporters that voting for the senator was "like voting for a Democrat." Cornyn, for his part, has spent weeks defending his record while warning that a Paxton victory would require Senate Republicans to divert hundreds of millions from other races. Public polling has shown Paxton ahead in the final days.

The race also features other high-profile contests on the same ballot, including runoffs for Texas attorney general and several congressional districts. Democrats see the broader environment as an opportunity to test whether Trump's influence has overextended into state-level fights, potentially exposing vulnerabilities in November. Talarico has already drawn support from former President Barack Obama during the primary season, signaling national interest in the general election matchup.

For Republicans, the contest highlights ongoing tensions between traditional conservatives and the populist wing that prioritizes loyalty to Trump. Cornyn's backers argue he remains the safer general-election candidate capable of protecting the Senate majority without extraordinary spending. Paxton's supporters counter that Cornyn represents an outdated approach that has failed to deliver on core conservative priorities. With polls closing at 9 p.m. Eastern Time, the results will reveal how much sway Trump's late intervention still carries in one of the party's most important battlegrounds.