President Trump's much-teased pick in a high-stakes Texas Senate showdown didn't land in time to matter on the ballot. The president had pledged to endorse either Sen. John Cornyn or state Attorney General Ken Paxton in the Republican runoff and said he wanted the loser to quit the race. But according to White House officials speaking to CNN, Trump was focused on Iran and his faltering "SAVE America Act" voting bill and let a key withdrawal deadline come and go on Tuesday. Both candidates' names are now locked in for the May 26 runoff, even if one bows out informally.
That's not the outcome GOP Senate leaders were hoping for. They view Texas as essential to keeping their majority and had pressed Trump to side with Cornyn, whom they consider the safer bet in November. Trump was leaning that way, Republicans say, and his vow to urge the other candidate to "immediately drop out" thrilled party strategists who wanted to avoid another costly round of intraparty fighting. But word of his likely preference leaked, irritating Trump and some advisers and slowing the decision, CNN reports. Paxton kept himself in the running by publicly tying his future in the race to Trump's voting bill, promising in early March to consider stepping aside if the legislation passed.
On Saturday, Trump told NBC News that he likes both candidates "very much" and he plans to choose one within a "week or so." The timing added another wrinkle: under Texas law, the withdrawal deadline falls three days after the party "canvasses" the primary results. Because the state GOP finalized those results a day earlier than the last possible date, the cutoff arrived Tuesday at 5pm Central, before Trump made up his mind. White House aides say an endorsement could still come, but at this point it won't simplify the ballot. The winner of the runoff will face Democratic state Rep. James Talarico in the general election.
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