President Donald Trump weighed in on an already contentious Senate primary race in the most populous red state in the nation, saying he will make an endorsement decision "at the right time."
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate while speaking on Fox News last week. Paxton, a conservative firebrand and outspoken supporter of Trump, is seeking to replace incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, an influential member of the GOP who previously served as the Party's Senate whip and has held the seat since 2002.
With both Paxton and Cornyn being considered leading members of the Republican Party, the race promises to be particularly messy.
Paxton has accused the current senator of being a lukewarm supporter of Trump's agenda, saying, "It's time that we have another great senator that will actually stand up and fight for Republican values, fight for the values of the people of Texas and also support Donald Trump in the areas that he's focused on in a very significant way."
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For his part, Cornyn has dismissed the attorney general as a "fraud" motivated by "vanity and personal ambition."
Trump told reporters that both GOP senatorial candidates in Texas are "friends of mine" and "good men," but he stopped short of issuing an endorsement of one over the other, at least for now.
"Well, they're both friends of mine," said Trump. "They're both good men, and I don't know. We don't, we don't know who else is running, but these two, you know, Ken and John, they're both friends of mine, so I'll make a determination at the right time."
Since announcing his candidacy, Paxton has already garnered endorsements from Reps. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, and Lance Gooden, R-Texas, as well as around 250 state legislators and business leaders across the state, according to a spokesperson.
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Those endorsing Paxton are emphasizing his pledge to double down on his conservative agenda and "take a sledgehammer to the D.C. establishment."
One of Paxton's supporters, conservative Texas Rep. Tony Tinderholt, called him "the most conservative attorney general in the nation," saying he "will be a fantastic upgrade over John Cornyn."
Gooden, whose district is just east of Dallas, said he was endorsing Paxton because "it's time for change in Texas," adding that "Texans deserve a conservative champion who has a record of taking on the establishment, fighting to secure our border, and advancing the Trump agenda."
Meanwhile, Cornyn, who has been in the Senate for nearly 23 years, has the support of some of the Republican Party's top leaders, including Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-South Dakota, Sen. Tim Scott, R-South Carolina, as well as the National Republican Senatorial Committee.
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Since Trump returned to the White House three months ago, Cornyn has been supportive of the president's Cabinet nominees and agenda.
Cornyn has emphasized previous corruption and bribery charges against Paxton, which in 2023 led to the attorney general being impeached by the Texas House of Representatives. Paxton was later acquitted of all charges by the Texas Senate.
Paxton was indicted on securities fraud charges soon after taking office in 2015 and also came under investigation by the FBI over bribery and corruption allegations from former top staffers. The charges in the long-running federal corruption probe were dropped during the final weeks of the Biden administration.
A spokesperson for Cornyn's campaign asserted that Trump would be wise to endorse the senator, emphasizing his experience helping to lead the GOP.
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"During his first term, John Cornyn voted with President Trump more than 95% of current Senators, securing the votes for his biggest accomplishments as his Whip," the representative told Fox News Digital.
"Democrats are trying to destroy President Trump," the representative went on. "And he and Texas need a battle-tested conservative who knows how to protect his agenda in the Senate and won't be outsmarted by [Minority Leader] Chuck Schumer."
Paxton, however, posits that Cornyn's enthusiasm for Trump is all an act.
"We're all glad John Cornyn suddenly found religion and is embracing President Trump's policies now that he's facing a primary challenge," Paxton told Fox News Digital. "But if he's re-elected, he'll immediately go back to being the same old John who said President Trump's 'time has passed him by' and fought to stop the President's America First agenda."
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He pointed out that he was one of only two elected officials present with Trump when he announced he was running for president for a third time.
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"I was grateful to join my friend Troy Nehls as one of two elected officials at President Trump's 2024 announcement and have always been proud to stand with him," he said. "I will continue to support the President and work with him to secure our border, defend the integrity of our elections, and protect our 2nd Amendment-unlike John Cornyn who has tried to undermine President Trump every step of the way."
"I'm incredibly grateful to have the support of over 250 conservative leaders from across our great state," Paxton went on. "While John Cornyn is relying on the Washington establishment to save him, I'm proud that my campaign is powered by the grassroots and the people of Texas."
As Cornyn and Paxton vie for the GOP nomination, former Democratic Rep. Colin Allred, who launched a surprisingly competitive but ultimately unsuccessful challenge against Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, in 2024, is weighing another run in 2026.
Fox News Digital's Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.
