Trump skips endorsement in Texas Senate primary days ahead of election day

The Republican primary election in the Texas Senate has turned into a bloodbath, and President Donald Trump is not stepping in.

Appearing in Corpus Christi, Texas, on Friday to tout his energy agenda, Trump had the opportunity to stake his claim and endorse a candidate in the contentious race. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, is the longtime incumbent facing seven challengers.

But the real race is between Cornyn, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, and Rep. Wesley Hunt, R-Texas.

All three attended Trump’s rally, which was reminiscent of the made-for-TV spectacles that marked his successful 2024 campaign. But Trump did not confirm any of this on Election Day in early rapid-fire approaches.

Trump acknowledged all three; He paired Cornyn with Paxton and mentioned Hunt later in his speech. He noted that they were all in “an interesting choice.”

“They’re in a little race together,” Trump said of Cornyn and Paxton. “You know that, right? It’s a little race. It’ll be interesting, won’t it? They’re both great people.”

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Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton believed he could win against Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, in the crowded Texas GOP Senate primary race, even without the endorsement of President Donald Trump. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images and Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Cornyn is running for a fifth term in the Senate and fighting for his political life in a miserable primary in which Trump has repeatedly refused to weigh in. He also has the full weight of the Senate Republican leadership behind him.

Meanwhile, Paxton, who has faced scandals over the years, has firmly aligned himself with the president and built a coalition of conservative supporters in the House, such as Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, who brought him to Trump’s State of the Union earlier this week.

As the trio struggles, money is burned at a record pace. According to AdImpact data, a whopping $110 million has been spent in the Senate primaries so far; $88 million of that was diverted to the GOP contest.

CORNYN SAYS PAXTON WILL BE ‘KISS OF DEATH’ FOR GOP AS BLOODY PRIMARY RACE ACCUMULATES

Rep. Wesley Hunt, R-Texas, walks up the House steps for a vote on the budget resolution at the U.S. Capitol on Thursday, April 10, 2025. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

Given the crowded field, the race is likely to go into the second round, which will turn into a brutal sprint by the end of May. While Paxton believes he can come out on top with at least 50% of the vote on March 3, Cornyn is looking at a long game.

Trump’s coveted endorsement could put them both over the top in ruby-red Texas. And he may be close to picking his favorite.

Ahead of the event, Trump was asked if he had decided who he would support.

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“Quite a lot,” he told reporters.

However, when asked if he would tell who he was, he said: “No.”

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