Donald Trump Criticizes Republicans Over Tight Texas Senate Race

President Donald Trump has criticized outgoing Republican Senator John Cornyn and political strategist Karl Rove as Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton struggles in a tight United States Senate race. Politico and The Hill both report that Trump accused Cornyn and Rove of failing to support Paxton, stating that they are hurting Texas. CNBC reported that Trump claimed Cornyn and Rove would be to blame if Paxton loses the election to Democratic candidate James Talarico. [1][2][4][8][11]

According to ABC News Politics, Talarico is rallying supporters in the final weeks of his campaign. He is attempting to become the first Democratic candidate to win a statewide election in Texas in over 30 years. [4]

Meanwhile, significant financial backing has flowed into the contest. The Hill reported that tech mogul Elon Musk gave 158 million dollars to the Texas PAC in the third quarter. The political action committee is spending heavily to support Paxton's Senate campaign as part of a broader effort to maintain Republican congressional majorities. [3]

Paxton has served as the attorney general of Texas since 2015 and is the Republican nominee for the 2026 Senate election. He previously served in the Texas House of Representatives from 2003 to 2013 and in the Texas Senate from 2013 to 2015. [12][15]