Cornyn did so well that Trump could finally endorse him

Even in the most heavily Republican counties where Attorney General Ken Paxton might have expected to benefit from a MAGA base, incumbent Sen. John Cornyn largely held his own.

Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, speaks during a campaign stop in Austin, Texas, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. | Eric Gay/AP

Sen. John Cornyn defied expectations in the Texas GOP primary on Tuesday. National Republicans believe his unexpectedly strong showing may be enough for President Donald Trump to endorse the embattled incumbent.

Trump has privately intimated that he will soon get involved in the Texas Senate race after rebuffing endorsement pleas from both candidates for months, according to a GOP strategist close to the White House who was granted anonymity to speak freely. For months, party leaders worried that Trump would back state Attorney General Ken Paxton, a longtime ally of the president, especially if he dominated in Tuesday’s primary.

Then came the results that had Cornyn neck-and-neck with Paxton. With that outcome, the strategist said, it would be “very surprising” if Trump backed Paxton.

© Politico