Donald Trump has blamed senior Republicans for the difficulties facing his endorsed candidate, Ken Paxton, in a tightening Texas Senate race against Democrat James Talarico.
In a lengthy post on Truth Social on Thursday, the US president singled out Karl Rove, a longtime Republican strategist, and Senator John Cornyn, whose bid for re-election was defeated in a bitter Republican primary.
Mr Trump accused the pair of doing “everything possible” to damage Mr Paxton’s prospects against Mr Talarico, a state lawmaker and Presbyterian seminarian who is mounting an unexpectedly strong campaign in the traditionally Republican state.
“They are hurting Texas and, more importantly, hurting the United States of America!” Mr Trump wrote. “If Ken Paxton loses, it will be because of WEAK and INEFFECTIVE Political Hacks like John Cornyn and Karl Rove, who have ineffectively opposed me for my entire political career.”
Mr Cornyn and his supporters had portrayed Mr Paxton, Texas’s attorney general, as a deeply flawed candidate during the primary. Polling over the past two months has shown Mr Talarico holding a narrow lead as election day approaches.
Mr Trump called on those who backed Mr Cornyn to unite behind his chosen candidate.
“Your favorite President (ME!) is asking all of those who supported Senator John Cornyn to UNITE, and immediately switch your support to Ken Paxton,” he wrote. “He will be a Great Senator, just like he is a Great Attorney General.”
Texas Senate race draws record spending
The contest has become one of the most expensive non-presidential races. Mr Talarico raised 64 million dollars during the summer, the largest third-quarter fundraising total recorded by a Senate candidate, and has collected more than 134 million dollars since launching his campaign last year.
Mr Paxton raised 18 million dollars in the third quarter of 2026 and announced a further 20 million dollar advertising campaign last month. MAGA Inc and affiliated groups could spend nearly 45 million dollars on direct mail, television and digital advertising in Texas through October 12.
Outside conservative groups and party committees have already spent 235 million dollars opposing Mr Talarico, as national Republicans seek to strengthen Mr Paxton’s campaign.
The scale of the spending has prompted concern among some Republicans that resources are being diverted from other states. There has also been frustration with Mr Paxton after leaked audio appeared to show him blaming Mr Trump for his difficulties.
Mr Trump won Texas comfortably in 2024, taking just over 56 per cent of the vote. However, Republican concerns over November’s elections have increased as the president’s approval rating has fallen.
