WASHINGTON — A week ago, President Donald Trump called Texas Republican Sen. John Cornyn appeared willing to endorse a GOP primary challenger, presumably clearing the field so the party can focus on defeating a Democratic opponent in November.
Not approved. Trump’s decision on whether to endorse either Cornyn or Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is a “holding pattern,” a senior Trump administration official said Tuesday. As the days pass, Republicans are growing nervous.
“You have to ask yourself: Why is he waiting?” the Republican senator said in an interview.
One reason appears to be that Trump linked his approval to the prospect of a bill that would impose stricter voting requirements. Trump – considered the most powerful figure in Republican politics – appears to be using his endorsement to spur Republican lawmakers to pass the measure, which has stalled in the Senate.
A senior administration official did not dispute that Trump is tying his approval to the legislation he wants to pass.
In a pair of recent phone interviews, NBC News asked Trump about his endorsement plans. In no case did he answer directly. Instead, they turned to the Save America Act. The measure needs 60 votes to reach Trump’s desk under the Senate’s filibuster rule.
Asked if he would pass the bill, Trump said Monday: “I don’t know. Nobody’s doing much about it. And I’m not doing anything until they do.”
He repeated with great emphasis: “I’m not doing anything until they fulfill it.”
House Majority Leader South Dakota Republican Sen. John Thune said he is concerned that Trump’s approval may now be contingent on passing the bill.
“Yes,” Thune told reporters. “It’s probably not a link that’s in anyone’s best interest.”
He warned that even if the Senate was ready to vote on Trump’s overriding priority, passage was “not guaranteed.”
“You have to make political decisions independent of what happens on the ground with its final settlement (the Save America Act).”
Both Cornyn and Paxton have come out in favor of the bill, which would require photo identification to vote in federal elections, as well as documentary proof of US citizenship to register to vote, among other changes.
Trump also wants to attach unrelated provisions: one banning transgender athletes from participating in women’s sports and another restricting gender-affirmation therapy to minors.
Before long, Cornyn’s road to approval looked smooth. As long as Cornyn keeps the primary race close, Trump is likely to endorse him over Paxton, said two people familiar with White House thinking, including a close Cornyn ally.
Cornyn, in fact, kept it close. He defeated Paxton by a 42%-41% margin in the March 3 primary to advance to the Republican runoff on May 26.
The next day, Trump posted on TruthSocial that he would “soon” endorse a candidate, writing that the person who doesn’t get his support should bow out, thus avoiding a bruising infighting ahead of Republicans facing a tough race against Democratic nominee James Talarico, 36.
“For the good of the party and for the good of our country, this cannot be allowed to happen any longer. It must stop now! We have an easy-to-defeat left-wing adversary, and we must quickly and decisively focus on putting him out,” Trump wrote.
After he initially vowed to stay in the race after the primary, Paxton posted on X that he would consider dropping out if Senate leadership agreed to repeal the filibuster rule, which requires a 60-vote majority, and pass a ballot bill.
“The Save America Act is the most important bill the US Senate will ever pass, and I am committed to helping President Trump get it done,” Paxton wrote.
The endorsement poses a dilemma for Trump. Whatever he decides could swing the outcome, potentially balancing control of the Senate.
A Texas Public Opinion Research poll of GOP primary voters found Paxton initially leading Cornyn by 8 points in the runoff, narrowing the contest to a dead heat if Trump backs Cornyn. Voting was held on Saturday and Sunday.
Advisers have given Trump data showing Cornyn has the best chance of defeating Talarico, according to a person familiar with internal White House discussions. But according to this person, Trump also saw data that his MAGA base was with Paxton.
Flipping a Texas Senate seat is a coup for Democrats. He needs to gain four seats in November to wrest control of the Senate.
Cornyn and her allies have argued that in light of Paxton’s personal and professional troubles, she represents the party’s best chance to hold onto the Senate seat.
Paxton was indicted on bribery and corruption charges in 2023; The state senate acquitted him. Last year, Paxton’s wife announced she was divorcing him “on biblical grounds.”
“If he (Trump) endorses Paxton, we’re going to have major league problems,” the Republican senator said, speaking on condition of anonymity. “I’m not sure Cornyn can beat (Talarico), but I know Paxton can’t.”
Paxton has dismissed suggestions that he threatens the position, arguing that he could energize Trump voters who are less likely to drop out when the president is not on the ballot.
Inside Trump’s MAGA movement, Cornyn had doubts a few years ago. He was neutral in the 2016 Republican primaries — Trump’s first bid for the presidency.
In 2023, Cornyn, who is in his fourth term, said Trump’s “time has passed him,” noting that Trump was not the most electable presidential candidate in ’24. He ultimately endorsed Trump.
“President Trump’s most dedicated supporters hate Cornyn — for the same reason they hate the president and the MAGA movement,” Steve Bannon, a senior White House official during Trump’s last term, told NBC News on Tuesday.
As the wait for the endorsement continues, Cornyn is doing what he can to reassure Texas voters that he’s a true Trump loyalist.
“I would love for the president to endorse,” Cornyn told NBC News on Tuesday, adding that the runoff is still weeks away.
“If they do, it makes our job a little bit easier,” he said. “But if he doesn’t, it doesn’t change our plans.”
