Trump Withholds Endorsement As Texas GOP Senate Primary Early Voting Begins

AP Photo/Alex Brandon

Early voting begins today in Texas, and one of the biggest open questions in the state’s high-stakes GOP Senate primary still doesn’t have an answer: Who, if anyone, will President Donald Trump endorse?

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For now, the answer is no one.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One Monday night, Trump made clear he has not chosen between Sen. John Cornyn, Attorney General Ken Paxton, and Rep. Wesley Hunt (TX-38). That decision, or lack of one, comes at a pivotal moment as ballots are already being cast across the state.

“I just haven’t made a decision on that race yet. It’s got a ways to go,” Trump told reporters. “I like all three of them, actually.”

That is not a throwaway comment. Trump’s endorsements have often functioned as primary-ending events in red states. In Texas, where he remains dominant among Republican voters, his backing can consolidate support among donors, freeze activist energy, and quickly narrow the field. His silence, by contrast, keeps the race fluid.

And he reinforced that neutrality rather than softening it.

“They’ve all supported me, they’re all good and you’re supposed to pick one. So we’ll see what happens, but I support all three.”

Meanwhile, the calendar is not waiting. Texas is the first primary of the 2026 cycle, effectively launching the midterm season. Campaigns have already spent months organizing and raising money. Early voting locks in a share of the electorate before the race can fully evolve, meaning any late endorsement carries less leverage than one delivered before ballots go out.

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The broader backdrop only raises the stakes. Texas underwent mid-decade redistricting backed by Trump, reshaping congressional lines and strengthening Republican advantages in multiple districts. The Senate primary is unfolding with national attention squarely on the state.

Early voting begins Tuesday for Texas’s 2026 primary elections, with eyes on the Lone Star State’s competitive Senate primary for the seat of longtime incumbent Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX).

That means voters are making real decisions without a signal from the most influential Republican in the country.

The race itself is anything but settled. Cornyn is seeking an unprecedented fifth term. Paxton has positioned himself as the sharper-edged conservative alternative. Hunt is offering a generational contrast. Polling shows Paxton leading Cornyn, 37 percent to 27 percent, with 22 percent of voters still undecided.


Read More: Wargaming the 2026 Election: the Texas Senate Race

Shots Fired: Paxton Releases Eyebrow-Raising Campaign Video Showing Cornyn 'Dancing With the Devil'


With three candidates splitting support and a meaningful undecided bloc, a runoff remains a real possibility if no one clears the 50 percent threshold. That makes timing even more critical. An endorsement before a potential runoff could prove decisive. One that comes after early voting, when support has already locked in, may matter less.

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Inside the party, there is clear concern about how this unfolds.

Republican leaders have been frustrated by Trump’s decision not to explicitly back Cornyn over his opponents, seeking it as an unnecessary risk of making the once solidly Republican seat a real competition.

That frustration reflects a broader fear that a bruising, expensive three-way fight could drain resources before the general election even begins.

And the clock is already ticking.

The primary election is set to be held on March 3, but early voting begins Tuesday.

So here’s where things stand:

Early voting is underway. The field is divided. Party leaders want clarity. And Trump, at least for now, is staying on the sidelines.

Neutrality, in a race this competitive, is not neutral. Whether Trump continues to hold back or ultimately steps in could shape not just who wins this primary, but how unified Texas Republicans are when November arrives.

Editor's Note: The mainstream media continues to deflect, gaslight, spin, and lie about President Trump, his administration, and conservatives.

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