Paxton endorsed by new slate of grassroots leaders amid bitter primary with Cornyn
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SPECIAL: The Texas Senate primary is reaching a fever pitch as Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton receives a slew of new endorsements from prominent state lawmakers and candidates against incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas.
The bitter rivals are making increasingly personal attacks on each other following a frustrating primary election in which neither candidate cleared the 50% threshold for the GOP nomination.
Now Paxton has 13 new political endorsements at the state level, including prominent Texas Republican Senators Bob Hall and Donna Campbell and state Representative Janis Holt. This reached a total of 250 Texas leaders who supported Paxton, including Texas Congressional Representatives Lance Gooden and Troy Nehls.
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While noticeably missing any support from President Donald Trump for either candidate, the new endorsements represent a groundswell of grassroots enthusiasm as Paxton and Cornyn approach runoff elections in May.
Whichever candidate prevails will have to defend the critical GOP Senate seat against progressive Democratic candidate state Rep. James Talarico.
In response to the endorsements, Paxton told Fox News Digital that he was “honored to be supported by leaders across the state who are fighting for Texas and our future.”
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and his opponent, Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, are heading into a runoff in Texas, further extending their bitter primary battle into late May. (Photo: Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images; Photo: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
“The momentum behind our campaign continues to grow stronger every day, Texans are ready for a change and ready to be represented by an America First warrior who will work tirelessly to help Texas and support President Trump,” Paxton continued.
“That’s exactly what I did as Attorney General, and that’s exactly what I’ll continue to do as the next United States Senator,” he emphasized.
As Paxton’s list of state-level endorsements continues to grow, Cornyn, a leading member of the Senate who has filled the seat since 2002, has been endorsed by the likes of Senate Majority Leader John Thune, who called him “a very effective, conservative senator for the state of Texas and has done a lot of good things for our country on a lot of issues.”
He also has the support of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, the National Border Patrol Council and a long list of local leaders, including famed business leader and sports gambler Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale.
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Texas Senate candidate James Talarico speaks at a campaign rally on March 2, 2026 in Houston. (Danielle Villasana/Getty Images)
Both candidates continue to compete for crucial support from Trump.
The president has hinted at this repeatedly, though he has yet to weigh in. Trump emphasized that he liked both candidates.
He suggested that the voting integrity bill, which was hotly debated in the Senate recently, would play a role in the approval decision.
“It has a lot to do with the RELIEVE America Act,” Trump said: According to NBC News. “It will determine a lot; Republicans need to pass this because it will secure the vote in this country.”
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Both candidates continue to compete for the crucial support of President Donald Trump. (Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP Photo)
Cornyn dramatically reversed his previous stance on eliminating filibuster to ensure passage of the SAVE America Act.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Cornyn’s campaign for comment.
