7 articles · Updated · The New York Times · May 19
Senate Republicans reacted angrily Tuesday after Trump endorsed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton over incumbent John Cornyn in the state’s Senate primary runoff, calling it a major blow to a senator who has served more than 20 years.
The backlash centered on electability: several Republicans warned that backing Paxton — described by critics in the conference as scandal-plagued — could put at risk a seat long viewed as safely Republican.
At the GOP’s weekly Senate lunch, lawmakers appeared stunned as the news spread; John Hoeven quickly reiterated support for Cornyn, while Roger Wicker declined comment and Lisa Murkowski said she was “supremely disappointed.”
The rupture highlights fresh tension between Trump and Senate Republicans as they try to protect their majority, with his intervention threatening to turn a normally secure Texas contest into a more volatile general-election race.
How does the Texas runoff's result impact the broader battle for control of the U.S. Senate?
How will this last-minute endorsement influence the outcome of the nation's most expensive primary runoff?