Trump says Cornyn and Paxton are both electable as he mulls endorsement in Texas Senate race
President Donald Trump told NBC News on Saturday that he is still mulling a potential endorsement in the competitive Republican primary for a Senate seat in Texas.
Sen. John Cornyn will face Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in a May 26 runoff, after a close fight in the first round.
“I’ll let you know over the next week,” Trump said in a telephone interview when asked if he would support Cornyn. “I like him. I always have.”
He said he thought he would make a decision next week.
“A lot of things have to do with the SAVE America Act. A lot of things are going to be the deciding factor: Republicans need to pass it, because it’s going to guarantee the vote in this country,” Trump said.
Both candidates are vying for Trump’s support. Paxton championed abolishing the legislative filibuster to pass the Trump-backed election bill.
Earlier this week, Cornyn abandoned his long-standing support for the Senate filibuster, the 60-vote rule to pass most bills, saying he would support “any changes to the Senate rules that may be necessary” to pass the SAVE America Act.
“I really appreciate that he is” in favor of eliminating the filibuster, Trump said of Cornyn. Asked if Cornyn’s decision convinced him, he said: “I don’t know, but we have to get it passed.” »
Trump also said he wasn’t convinced Cornyn was the Republican Party’s best chance to fill the Senate seat.
“I heard that. I don’t know. I mean, I don’t know. I don’t know if that’s a fact,” Trump said. “But I like him. I always liked him. I really like both candidates.”
He said he wasn’t worried about Paxton being ineligible.
“No, I think they both win,” Trump said, while calling Democratic candidate James Talarico “very weak.”
And he didn’t directly say what would motivate him to support either candidate, saying “a lot” will have to do with the SAVE America Act.
The bill, which passed the House, will be considered in the Senate next week. It is highly unlikely to pass because Republicans do not have the votes needed to get rid of the filibuster, nor do they have a viable way around the 60-vote hurdle.
It would overhaul voting laws in all 50 states, requiring proof of citizenship for a person to register to vote and a photo ID to vote, whether in person or by mail. It does not include a ban on mail-in voting or other anti-transgender provisions that Trump recently demanded.
“On top of that, no men participating in women’s sports, which is very important. No mail-in voting. You have to have an ID to vote, a photo ID to vote,” Trump said.
