President Donald Trump allowed a critical deadline to pass without endorsing a candidate in Texas’ Republican Senate race, ensuring that Senator John Cornyn and Attorney General Ken Paxton will remain on the May 26 runoff ballot. This move has extended a costly and increasingly personal contest for one of the party’s most closely watched seats.
Neither candidate withdrew from the runoff ballot before the 5 p.m. Central time deadline, leaving Trump free to endorse later but denying Republicans an early resolution to a race that grew more contentious after neither man secured a majority in the March 3 primary.
Cornyn released a new attack ad on Tuesday focused on Paxton’s character, including allegations of extramarital affairs. Meanwhile, Paxton continued to position himself as the truest MAGA candidate, with allies attempting to draw Trump’s attention through targeted advertising in Florida near Mar-a-Lago.
Trump’s silence also kept the contest tied to the fate of the SAVE America Act, an election bill currently before the Senate. The chamber voted Tuesday to begin debate on the measure, which the White House states would require proof of citizenship to register for federal elections and photo identification for voting in federal elections.
Trump had previously stated he would endorse “soon” and also indicated he would call for an unendorsed candidate to withdraw to avoid a costly runoff.
The timing of Trump’s decision may be critical, as the runoff electorate is expected to be smaller and more ideologically driven than the primary electorate—a dynamic that could benefit Paxton.
Cornyn has sought closer alignment with Trump by supporting potential changes to Senate rules to advance the SAVE America Act, a shift from his longstanding defense of the filibuster.
For now, Trump’s nondecision has locked in the next phase of the race. Even if one candidate withdraws later, both names will remain on the ballot, extending a runoff that has become as much a test of loyalty to Trump as it is a contest for a Senate seat.
