Texas GOP Senate Race Hinges on Trump Endorsement

President Donald Trump's potential endorsement in the Texas GOP Senate runoff between incumbent Sen. John Cornyn and Attorney General Ken Paxton has become a pivotal issue, according to multiple reports. The race hinges on the SAVE America Act, a voting security bill that requires Americans to register to vote in person and show proof of citizenship and photo ID at the polls.

Cornyn initially opposed changing Senate rules to pass the bill but reversed his stance last week, as reported by CBS News. In an op-ed for the New York Post, Cornyn stated he supports whatever changes to Senate rules are necessary to get the SAVE America Act and homeland security funding past Democratic obstruction. Paxton responded on X, saying Cornyn had become more conservative in just one week.

Paxton changed the dynamic by offering to drop out of the race if Senate Republicans agreed to end the filibuster to pass the SAVE America Act. This move has put pressure on Majority Leader John Thune to act on the bill, as reported by CBS News. Republican consultant Vinny Minchillo said Paxton's efforts paid off, aligning him with Trump and putting him across from Cornyn.

The primary results showed Cornyn coming out ahead of Paxton in a close race, according to NPR. Democrats set a turnout record in the Texas Senate primary, with more than 2.3 million votes cast. This is another indicator of Democratic enthusiasm in these midterm elections, as polling shows the party with an advantage on who's more interested in voting and who voters prefer to be in charge of Congress.

Despite demographic changes making Texas a 'majority minority' state, no Democrat has been elected statewide since 1994. The only close race was the 2018 Senate race when incumbent Republican Sen. Ted Cruz beat Democratic Rep. Beto O'Rourke by less than 3 points.

Meanwhile, the FBI closed a politically charged voter fraud inquiry in Nevada after finding only 38 non-citizens may have voted in the 2020 presidential election, sources with direct knowledge of the probe told CBS News. The inquiry was sought by Nevada's top federal prosecutor, Sigal Chattah, who claimed it could help flip a key congressional seat in Republicans' favor.

Republicans face high hurdles as they defend their razor-thin control of Congress in the 2026 midterm elections. National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) Chair Sen. Tim Scott expressed optimism that his party can not only hold but expand its current 53–47 majority, despite political headwinds fueled by economic concerns and President Trump's underwater approval ratings.