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That statement landed like a political earthquake in Texas.
The runoff between Paxton and Cornyn has become one of the nastiest Republican battles in the country, exposing the growing divide between the GOP establishment and the America First movement that continues to dominate the party under Trump.
Cornyn, who has served in the Senate since 2003, entered the race with decades of establishment connections, deep donor networks, and support from traditional Republican insiders. But Paxton spent the campaign hammering Cornyn as a Washington insider who drifted away from conservative voters long ago.
Again and again, Paxton attacked Cornyn over issues that enraged the Republican base, including bipartisan gun legislation passed after the Uvalde school shooting and continued support for funding packages tied to Ukraine.
To many grassroots conservatives, Cornyn became the face of the old Republican Party.
Paxton positioned himself as the exact opposite.
The Texas attorney general built his campaign around border security, election integrity, and loyalty to Trump’s America First agenda. That strategy now appears to have paid off in a major way.
Trump’s endorsement also comes at a critical moment in the race.
Neither candidate managed to secure enough votes during the March primary, forcing a runoff that has only intensified the hostility between the two camps. Polling in recent weeks suggested the contest was tightening rapidly heading into the final stretch.
A University of Houston Hobby School survey released earlier this month showed Paxton narrowly leading Cornyn 48 percent to 45 percent among likely Republican runoff voters, placing the race well within the margin of error.
Now Republicans across Texas are watching to see whether Trump’s backing will deliver the knockout blow.
Cornyn and his allies spent months trying to convince voters that Paxton would become a liability in a general election because of the controversies surrounding him.
In 2023, Paxton was impeached by the Republican-controlled Texas House over corruption-related accusations. But after a dramatic political battle, the Texas Senate acquitted him, allowing Paxton to emerge politically stronger and even more popular among many conservative voters who viewed the impeachment as an establishment attack.
Paxton has repeatedly denied wrongdoing and used the impeachment fight to rally Trump supporters behind his campaign.
Trump initially tried to avoid choosing between the two Republicans, frequently telling reporters he liked both men. But as the runoff approached, pressure mounted from conservatives demanding that Trump finally step in.
Last week, Trump hinted a decision was coming when he told reporters he would “maybe make a decision” regarding an endorsement.
By Tuesday, the suspense was over.
The endorsement now puts enormous pressure on Cornyn, who suddenly finds himself battling not only Paxton, but the full force of Trump’s political machine.
Meanwhile, Democrats are closely watching the chaos unfold.
The winner of the Republican runoff will move on to face Democratic candidate James Talarico in November. Democrats believe the race could become more competitive than usual, especially if Republican infighting leaves lasting damage.
Still, in a state as deeply Republican as Texas, Trump’s endorsement could prove decisive.
And if Paxton rides Trump’s backing to victory next week, it will send yet another unmistakable message to the Republican establishment:
The MAGA movement is still in control of the GOP.
