Recommendations of the Editorial team
After months of stalling, Donald Trump finally has a candidate for the race Texas Republican Senate nomination supported next week.
The president is supporting Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton – and thus against four-time incumbent John Cornyn. Instead, he throws his weight behind a hardliner of the extreme right who – much like Trump himself – has survived a whole series of political and personal scandals: primarily through grandstanding and a seemingly limitless shamelessness.
“Ken Paxton has been through a lot, in many cases very unfairly, but he is a fighter and knows how to WIN. Our country needs fighters and also loyalty to the cause of greatness,” Trump wrote in a lengthy Truth Social post explaining his decision. “WE HAVE ALREADY MADE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, BUT NOW WE WANT TO MAKE OUR NATION BETTER THAN EVER. That’s why Ken Paxton has my complete and unconditional support to become the next U.S. Senator from the great state of Texas – KEN PAXTON WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!”
Cornyn as a “good man”
The president also found conciliatory words for Cornyn – calling him a “good man” but accusing him of “failing to support him in difficult times.” Paxton, however, praised Trump as someone who was “extraordinarily loyal” to him and his “GREAT MAGA MOVEMENT.”
The runoff will take place on Tuesday, May 26th. Cornyn narrowly trailed Paxton in the March primary. Trump initially flirted with supporting his favorite and getting the other to withdraw in order to concentrate on the race against Democratic candidate James Talarico – but then waited another two months.
Pre-runoff polls suggest a tight race between the two Republicans, with Paxton holding a slight lead over the incumbent. The real test comes in November, when the winner takes on Talarico against the backdrop of an unpopular president. Although Trump chose Paxton because of his loyalty to the MAGA movement, it is Cornyn who is doing better against Talarico in polls for the November election.
Power struggle in the primaries
In primaries across the country, Trump is trying to make it clear to his party that he is still in charge – and that dissent will be punished with electoral defeat. So far, Trump’s hold on Republican voters remains undiminished, and he has made politicians who dared step out of step with the White House’s extreme agenda pay the price. But no matter how much Trump can impose his will in Republican primaries, the final say on election day will be the voters of the general election.
