‘Oh Boy’: Republican Senators Recoil at Trump Endorsement in Texas Race, Worry It Could Give Dems the Senate

AP Photo/Nick Wagner

Republican senators are not exactly thrilled with President Donald Trump’s endorsement of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in the state’s GOP primary.

Paxton is challenging Sen. John Cornyn for the Republican nomination. The two will square off in a runoff next week after neither notched a majority of the vote in March’s primary. On Tuesday, Trump finally made an endorsement in the race and backed Paxton.

The attorney general has a scandal-ridden record that includes an impeachment by the GOP-controlled Texas House of Representatives for abusing his office. Those impeachment articles allege that Paxton used his office to assist a donor, Nate Paul, who was the subject of a federal investigation. Paul also employed a woman who was having an affair with Paxton, at the attorney general’s behest.

On Tuesday, The New York Times reported that Republican senators are unhappy with Trump’s endorsement of Paxton.

“Oh boy,” reacted Sen. John Hoeven (R-ND), who learned of the endorsement on Capitol Hill. “Well, obviously, I support Senator Cornyn.”

Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) refused to even answer questions about it. However, Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) went so far as to say that the president’s endorsement risks losing the seat.

“I think that this puts that seat in jeopardy,” she told reporters.

The winner of next week’s GOP runoff will face state Rep. James Talarico (D), who defeated Rep. Jasmine Crockett in the Democratic primary. Republicans hold the Senate 53-47, but Democrats are hoping to gain the necessary four seats to flip control of the upper chamber in November. Wresting a seat from Republicans in Texas would likely put Democrats well on their way to doing so.

New: The Mediaite One-Sheet "Newsletter of Newsletters"
Your daily summary and analysis of what the many, many media newsletters are saying and reporting. Subscribe now!