Trump says Cornyn and Rove would be to blame if Paxton loses Texas Senate race
Trump urged John Cornyn’s former supporters to back Ken Paxton while accusing Cornyn and Karl Rove of hindering the Republican nominee.
By Jordan Bell · Startups & Deals Reporter
· 3 min read
President Donald Trump said Oct. 15 that Sen. John Cornyn and Republican strategist Karl Rove would bear responsibility if Ken Paxton loses the Texas Senate race to Democrat James Talarico. The Trump Paxton Texas Senate race dispute highlights a post-primary Republican split as early voting is scheduled to begin Oct. 19.
In a Truth Social post, Trump said Cornyn and Rove were doing “everything possible to make it hard” for Paxton, Texas’ attorney general and the Republican Senate nominee, to win. Trump did not provide details to support that allegation, Bloomberg reported.
Trump wrote that a Paxton defeat would be the result of what he called “weak and ineffective” political figures, naming Cornyn and Rove. He also called on Texans who supported Cornyn in the Republican primary to unite behind Paxton and switch their support immediately, according to The Texas Tribune.
Why is Trump criticizing Cornyn and Rove over Paxton?
The immediate backdrop is a difficult primary and unresolved differences within Texas Republican politics. Paxton defeated Cornyn, the incumbent senator, in a contentious Republican primary runoff in May. Trump had endorsed Paxton over Cornyn, CNBC and The Texas Tribune reported.
Cornyn has not endorsed Paxton. In August, Cornyn told The Texas Tribune that he would not direct money to Paxton’s campaign, and he described Paxton as lazy and a poor campaigner.
Rove, a former adviser to President George W. Bush, had not said whether he would vote for Paxton. At a Texas Tribune Festival event in September, Rove said the Senate contest would already be settled if Cornyn had won the primary. Rove also discussed allegations aired during Paxton’s 2023 impeachment trial. The Texas Senate acquitted Paxton in that proceeding.
Those actions and remarks are the documented points of division. Trump’s assertion that Cornyn and Rove could cause a Paxton loss is his political claim, rather than an established result.
What is the state of the Texas Senate race?
Paxton is running against Talarico, a Texas state representative and the Democratic nominee. Reporting by The Texas Tribune said polls had consistently put Talarico ahead by single-digit margins, while CNBC described numerous polls as showing Paxton trailing. Politico reported that public surveys over the prior two months showed Talarico with a narrow advantage.
Talarico has sought support from moderate and undecided voters, including Texans who backed Cornyn in the primary, The Texas Tribune reported. That group is now central to Trump’s appeal for party unity.
The campaign has also drawn substantial fundraising. Politico reported that Talarico raised $64 million in the third quarter and more than $134 million since beginning his campaign. Paxton raised $18 million during the quarter, according to Politico.
Neither Cornyn nor Rove was reported to have responded to Trump’s Oct. 15 post. CNBC said Cornyn’s office did not immediately reply to its request for comment.
This story draws on original reporting from CNBC.
