On February 16, President Trump told reporters on Air Force One that the Republican primary for the Texas Federal Senator race still had “some time to go,” and he had not yet decided on who to support.
Texas currently has two Republican senators, John Cornyn and Ted Cruz, with Cornyn’s term ending in 2027 and Cruz’s in 2031. The current election is for the seat held by John Cornyn.
Early voting for the Republican primary for the Texas Federal Senator seat started on February 17 and will continue until February 27. There are currently three candidates:
– Incumbent Senator John Cornyn, 74 years old, a prominent Republican senator from Texas who has been re-elected multiple times;
– Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, 64 years old, known for his strong conservative stance;
– And Wesley Hunt, who became a federal congressman in January 2023. Hunt, born in 1981, is now 45 years old, and a relatively younger Republican congressman and military veteran.
President Trump, speaking on Air Force One on Monday evening, said, “I haven’t made a decision on that race yet. I still have some time, I haven’t decided.”
Trump also mentioned, “I actually like all three of them. This is the toughest race to choose. They all support me, they are all good.”
“You’re supposed to pick one, and we’ll see what happens. But I support all three of them,” he added.
Earlier this month, Trump had stated that he was seriously considering openly endorsing a candidate in this race and promised to make a decision soon.
He said, “You know, my problem is I’m very friendly with all three of them. I like all three of them.”
“But you’ll see soon,” he added, “They say whoever I support will win. That’s probably right.”
Cornyn was first elected as Texas’ Federal Senator in 2002 with over 55% of the vote. He has since been re-elected and is currently serving his fourth term. Before entering the U.S. Senate representing Texas, Cornyn served as a district judge, a justice on the Texas Supreme Court, and Texas Attorney General.
Paxton is a staunch ally of President Trump. He first won the Texas Attorney General position in the 2014 midterm elections and has continued to win re-election with Trump’s strong support in the 2018 and 2022 midterm elections.
Paxton faced impeachment in 2023. On September 16, 2023, after a 9-day impeachment trial in the Republican-led Texas Senate, all 16 charges against him, including bribery, abuse of power, and extramarital affairs, were dismissed. On that day, Trump posted on the “Truth Social” platform, saying, “Ken Paxton’s victory is so, so significant. Wow!!!”
Hunt currently serves as a Texas Federal Congressman and is a younger conservative political figure.
The official voting for the Republican Senate candidates in Texas will take place on March 3.