President Trump traveled to Texas touted the candidates in the state’s hotly contested three-way GOP primary, but did not back a candidate, calling two of them “great.”
Mr. Trump spoke in Corpus Christi, Texas on Friday to highlight his administration’s energy policies, saying it’s helping lower the cost of living for Americans.
But Tuesday’s primary loomed large over the event as three candidates reshuffled their campaign schedules to attend the presidential event.
The battle for Sen. John Cornyn’s seat is locked in a heated battle. Mr. Cornyn is seeking his fifth term, but faces tough challenges from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Rep. Wesley Hunt.
All three Republicans have campaigned on their alignment with Mr. Trump’s agenda.
Mr. Cornyn traveled with Mr. Trump aboard Air Force One from Washington to Texas.
“We have a great attorney general, Ken Paxton…and we have a great senator, John Cornyn,” Mr. Trump said. “They’re in a little bit of a race. Going to be an interesting one. They’re both great people.”
Later, the president referred to Mr. Hunt as “another friend of mine who’s doing very well.”
“Wesley Hunt is doing a good job,” Mr. Trump said. “You do have an interesting election. Texas is so good.”
Mr. Trump’s endorsement is a coveted prize that could alter the race in deep-red Texas. Ahead of Mr. Trump’s remarks, he told reporters that has “pretty much” decided who he would endorse in the primary, but declined to say which candidate he wants.
Mr. Paxton holds a five-point lead over Mr. Cornyn, 38% to 33%, with Mr. Hunt trailing at 17%, according to Decision Desk HQ’s polling aggregate. Though neither candidate has a strong enough lead to win the primary outright.
If no candidate gets more than 50% of the vote, the top two vote-getters will go head-to-head in a May 26 runoff.
Mr. Cornyn has campaigned by saying he’s in lockstep with Mr. Trump’s policies, though the two have disagreed on occasion. Mr. Cornyn expressed concern about Mr. Trump running for president after the 2020 election.
Mr. Paxton assisted the president’s efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election after Mr. Trump lost. He’s been endorsed by Turning Point USA, the non-profit conservative activist group founded by the late Charlie Kirk.
But allegations of adultery and other ethical questions have plagued his campaign. Mr. Cornyn has seized on those allegations in his campaign ads.
