Former Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia warned that President Donald Trump could be the “real reason” the Texas Senate seat flips blue in November.
Greene, a former staunch MAGA supporter and ally of Trump, has broken away from the president over key policy priorities and the handling of high-profile controversies, such as the release of documents from the Jeffrey Epstein investigation.
Why It Matters
The 2026 Texas Republican U.S. Senate primary has become a national proxy battle over the GOP’s direction, and the result could signal the direction of the party in the state.
After Tuesday’s primary election, neither Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton nor incumbent Senator John Cornyn secured a majority of the vote, and they are now headed to a runoff.
What To Know
In a post to Truth Social on Wednesday, Trump spoke about the race, saying in part, “Both John and Ken ran great races, but not good enough. Now, this one, must be PERFECT!”
Trump continued later, “I will be making my Endorsement soon, and will be asking the candidate that I don’t Endorse to immediately DROP OUT OF THE RACE! Is that fair? We must win in November!!!”
Reacting to the president’s post, Greene said in part, “This is wrong and the people of Texas should be able to vote for WHOEVER THEY WANT!!! NOT the candidate Trump demands. People are furious over this and if Trump does this, it could actually be the real reason Texas Senate seat flips blue. Stealing people’s opportunity to elect their leaders by force will definitely piss off voters and will lead to even more sitting it out.”
“Trump has endorsed many of the worst Republicans with the worst voting records and has ruined so many primary races with his endorsements, swaying voters away from REAL America First candidates. Trump and his coalition of consultants serve Israel, the military industrial complex, big pharma, big tech, and rich powerful donors and the Epstein class NOT the average American,” Green continued.
Trump is expected to endorse Cornyn in the runoff race, according to The Atlantic, citing people familiar with the matter. The magazine also said its sources noted that Trump is prone to last-minute changes.
What People Are Saying
Team Cornyn posted on X Tuesday night: “We will not allow a flawed, self-centered, and shameless failure like Crooked Ken Paxton to risk everything this Republican Party has built. Not on Senator @JohnCornyn’s watch.”
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton posted on X on Wednesday: “Thank you, Texas. Last night, in a historic failure for John Cornyn, he failed to get nearly 60% of the GOP vote after spending $100 million. It’s time to finish the job in the runoff. Help me fire John Cornyn once and for all.”
What Happens Next
The runoff Senate election is scheduled for May 26, 2026.
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