Trump endorses Paxton in Texas Senate runoff, splitting GOP strategists

AUSTIN, Texas — Texas voters head to the polls Tuesday for runoff primary elections, with the Republican U.S. Senate contest between four-term Sen. John Cornyn and state Attorney General Ken Paxton drawing the most attention and money in the state.

President Trump endorsed Paxton last week, after some early ballots had already been cast. The late timing has frustrated national Republican officials who view Cornyn as the safer bet in November, according to reporting from the Texas Newsroom.

The concern among GOP strategists is less about personal preference than electability. Polling indicates Cornyn would enter the general election in a stronger position, while Paxton carries political liabilities including a past indictment and a recent divorce tied to an extramarital affair. Republicans worry a Paxton nomination would force the party to spend heavily defending a seat that Cornyn could hold more cheaply.

Cornyn, who has cruised through most of his previous campaigns, told supporters at a Friday event that the runoff feels like the highest-stakes race of his career. Paxton, meanwhile, is campaigning as if the nomination is already decided, leaning on the Trump endorsement to consolidate the party's base.

The Senate primary is not the only contest on the runoff ballot. Several Texas U.S. House races are also being decided, along with state and local primaries that were not settled in the March first-round vote.

Early voting has already closed in most counties. Election Day polls open across Texas on Tuesday morning, with results expected late that night. The winner of the GOP Senate runoff will face the Democratic nominee in November in a race that both national parties are expected to invest heavily in.