The Texas GOP Senate runoff is slated to be held later this month and President Donald Trump has still not endorsed a candidate. This could suggest that he will decide to stay out of the race altogether.
During the primary elections in March, neither incumbent Sen. John Cornyn or Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton broke the 50 percent threshold to become the nominee, which sent the race to a runoff. Shortly after, Trump indicated he would be making an endorsement, even though he did not indicate which candidate he will support.
Later in the process, Trump suggested he would not endorse a candidate in this race until the SAVE America Act was passed. But the bill is still stuck in the Senate as the party debates whether to nuke the filibuster to pass the legislation.
Our story from this morning on how Trump's lack of an endorsement in #TXSEN is keeping the Cornyn-Paxton runoff competitive: https://t.co/phvlH5ge22
— Patrick Svitek (@PatrickSvitek) April 30, 2026
Now, some doubt that Trump will give an endorsement at all, according to CNN. This ambiguity has kept both campaigns on edge because the president could easily step in late and influence the outcome at any time.
The race remains tight, with several polls showing the two candidates running neck-and-neck. Cornyn appears to fare better in the state’s urban counties while Paxton outperforms him in rural areas. They are nearly even among suburban voters.
When asked about the lack of Trump’s endorsement, Cornyn campaign senior advisor Matt Mackowiak told Townhall, “We have a plan to win the runoff and we are executing it.” -
Cornyn has raised about four times the money as Paxton in the first quarter of 2026, which could provide a major advantage heading into the runoff race. However, Paxton’s team touted their performance even with less funding.
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Still, eyes are on the Texas Senate race, where the GOP has expended resources defending Sen. Cornyn's seat and Trump refused to endorse. pic.twitter.com/YjDvwd1jbW
If Trump does not endorse either candidate, Paxton could have a slight edge. But this does not necessarily mean Cornyn doesn’t still have a path to victory. In this scenario, all that matters is turnout. If the MAGA populist sect of voters turn out in huge numbers, Paxton will become the nominee. However, if Cornyn’s campaign can mobilize more suburban and establishment voters, he could retain his seat.
Rep. Nathaniel Moran (TX-01) told CNN that Trump not endorsing Cornyn “has been unfortunate because now we’ve spent tens and tens of millions of dollars in a competitive US Senate seat in Texas that could’ve otherwise be used for competitive House seats.”
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