President Donald Trump said Wednesday he soon will endorse a Republican candidate in the Texas Senate race, warning that the divisive contest "cannot, for the good of the Party, and our Country, itself, be allowed to go on any longer."
"IT MUST STOP NOW!" Trump wrote on social media after four-term Sen. John Cornyn and state Attorney General Ken Paxton advanced on Tuesday to a May 26 runoff for the nomination. "I will be making my Endorsement soon, and will be asking the candidate that I don't Endorse to immediately DROP OUT OF THE RACE! Is that fair? We must win in November!!!"
Republicans are sweating that runoff election because the 83-day sprint takes place as operatives in both major political parties acknowledge that Democrats have an unusually solid chance of winning a Senate seat in Texas this year, something that has not happened in nearly four decades.
Democrats nominated state Rep. James Talarico. Republicans immediately attacked him as a far-left extremist even though they privately consider the 36-year-old Christian progressive to be a stronger general election candidate than his primary opponent, Rep. Jasmine Crockett.
The Senate contest is playing out as the Republican president fights to maintain control of Congress for his final two years in the White House. While Republicans are more confident about keeping their majority in the Senate than in the House, a competitive race in Texas could scramble the map or at least consume resources that the party needs in more competitive states such as North Carolina, Maine, Ohio, and Alaska.
Cornyn and his allies spent nearly $70 million to survive the first round of the primary. He was slightly ahead of Paxton with more votes still being counted on Wednesday. Republicans fear the runoff could be even uglier and more expensive.
"It's judgment day for Ken Paxton," Cornyn said on election night.
