Story perspectives

Trump Backs Paxton; Poll Shows Lead Over Cornyn

5/25/2026

Summary

Story summary

President Donald Trump’s endorsement of Attorney General Ken Paxton has made the Texas Senate runoff a national focus.
Houston Hobby School poll (April 28-May 1) shows Paxton ahead of Cornyn 48% to 45%.
Senate leaders John Thune, Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski and Thom Tillis back Cornyn, citing Paxton’s legal controversies.
Advertising spending tops $120 million, with Cornyn’s side at $19.9 million and Paxton’s at $5.1 million, the most expensive Senate primary ever.

History

Historical Context

The 1994 Republican Revolution, led by Newt Gingrich and the Contract with America, flipped 54 House seats and eight Senate seats, giving the GOP its first unified Congress since 1952. That surge reshaped party dynamics, a legacy echoed today as Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, backed by Donald Trump, faces incumbent John Cornyn in a high-spending Senate runoff.

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Story summary

President Donald Trump’s endorsement of Attorney General Ken Paxton has made the Texas Senate runoff a national focus.
Houston Hobby School poll (April 28-May 1) shows Paxton ahead of Cornyn 48% to 45%.
Senate leaders John Thune, Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski and Thom Tillis back Cornyn, citing Paxton’s legal controversies.
Advertising spending tops $120 million, with Cornyn’s side at $19.9 million and Paxton’s at $5.1 million, the most expensive Senate primary ever.

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