The Texas Republican Senate primary runoff just wrapped up. It delivered a pretty big upset, with President Trump’s favored candidate, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, absolutely crushing 24-year incumbent Sen. John Cornyn by more than 30 points, The Hill reported.
This win came just last Tuesday, right after Trump’s endorsement, and it’s certainly keeping his winning streak alive when it comes to backing primary challengers. We’ve seen this play out before, with Sen. Bill Cassidy and Rep. Thomas Massie also losing to Trump-backed challengers earlier this month.
Trump himself didn’t hold back, calling Paxton’s victory the “prelude to the midterms” during a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday. He told reporters, “They thought they were going to outwait me, you know, ‘we’ll outwait him, he’s got the midterms,’” referring to some folks thinking he’d be worried about how the Iran war might affect Republican candidates. But he was pretty clear on his stance, stating, “I don’t care about the midterms; look what happened last night, that was the prelude to the midterms.”
While Paxton’s big runoff victory definitely shows off Trump’s strength with the GOP base, that comment about not caring about the midterms could stir up some unease among Republicans.
They’re already staring down an increasingly tough general election environment, and that’s not exactly a confidence booster. The national scene for Republican midterm candidates looks even more challenging, especially with inflation on the rise and energy prices staying stubbornly high. A poll from The Associated Press/NORC Center, released just last week, showed that about 63 percent of Republicans approved of Trump’s handling of the economy, which is a noticeable drop from 78 percent at the start of his second term.
Following Paxton’s decisive primary victory over the four-term US senator, John Cornyn, Republican leaders were quick to throw their support behind him. This immediate rush to back Paxton highlights a palpable anxiety within the party about his chances in November’s general election.
President Trump, who had backed Paxton despite considerable concern among establishment Republicans, took to Truth Social. He wasted no time attacking Paxton’s Democratic rival in the midterm elections, James Talarico, claiming the Austin state representative and Democratic nominee for Texas senator “may be the worst Texas candidate I have ever seen.” Trump also alleged Talarico was weak on crime and an advocate for open borders, leaning into favored Republican attack lines.
In a rather unique attack, Trump also claimed Talarico was a vegan who “dislikes meat, not exactly a good way to be if you’re wanting to win an Election in Texas.” However, Talarico has denied being vegan, quipping on a podcast earlier this week, “I’ve been eating barbecue since before Ken Paxton’s first indictment.”
On the campaign trail, Republican surrogates have really focused on a 2023 interview where Talarico was asked what he loved beyond family and friends. His reply, “I love the trans children who showed up yesterday at the state capitol to advocate for their humanity,” has become a point of attack. Brandon Gill, a representative, questioned the crowd at a recent rally, “What kind of grown man daydreams about trans kids?” Sarah Gonzales, another representative, told the same crowd to “check his hard drive.”.
While Texas hasn’t elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1988, Republican operatives have privately voiced concerns that Paxton’s extensive legal troubles could make him a much riskier standard-bearer compared to the outgoing incumbent, Cornyn.
Speaking of Cornyn, a veteran US senator who enjoyed the support of many of his Republican colleagues on Capitol Hill, Trump’s comments were notably more measured. He stated, “John will remain my friend for a long time to come.”
Paxton’s victory now sets the stage for one of the most closely watched US Senate races of the 2026 cycle. Democrats are definitely pushing hard to flip this seat, aiming for the first time in decades.
Published: May 27, 2026 07:00 pm