Trump Misses Deadline for Texas Senate Candidate Dropout

Mar 18, 2026, 2:24 AM

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Former President Donald Trump has missed a critical deadline in the GOP Texas Senate runoff, where he previously indicated he wanted one of the candidates to withdraw from the race. The deadline for either incumbent Senator John Cornyn or Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to officially drop out has now passed, leaving both names on the ballot for the May 26 runoff election.

White House officials reported that Trump's attention has been diverted by the ongoing war with Iran and a problematic voting bill, resulting in the oversight regarding the Texas Senate race. This situation has drawn concern among Republican leaders who see Texas as crucial for maintaining their Senate majority in upcoming elections.

Initially, Trump had promised to endorse one of the candidates and requested that the other drop out immediately. This ultimatum was welcomed by Senate GOP leaders, who believed Cornyn would have a better chance of winning in a general election compared to the more controversial Paxton. However, the deadline has now passed, and both candidates will remain on the ballot, a scenario that many party leaders had hoped to avoid.

Despite the deadline's passing, there remains a possibility that Trump could still endorse a candidate in the runoff. However, even if one candidate were to unofficially withdraw, their name would still appear on the ballot, complicating the situation further for GOP strategists.

The Texas political landscape has been particularly tumultuous, especially with the entry of Rep. Wesley Hunt into the GOP primary against Cornyn and Paxton. Hunt's candidacy adds another layer of complexity to a race that has already seen considerable resources spent by Republican leaders to support Cornyn. Many party insiders express concern that Paxton's controversial status could jeopardize their chances in the general election, thereby intensifying the pressure on Trump to act.

Trump's endorsement has significant weight among Republican voters, and his indecision has left many within the party anxious about the potential outcome of the runoff. The former president's endorsement strategy appears to be entangled with his ongoing advocacy for stricter voter ID laws through his "SAVE America Act," which has further complicated his decision-making process.

As the political climate in Texas continues to evolve, the stakes for the GOP remain high. The party hopes to avoid a costly runoff while ensuring that their nominee will be competitive in the general election. With Cornyn trailing in polls against Paxton, the dynamics of the race may shift significantly based on Trump's eventual endorsement and the candidates' campaigns leading up to the runoff.

In summary, Trump's failure to act before the deadline has left the Texas Senate race in a state of uncertainty, with both Cornyn and Paxton set to compete in a high-stakes runoff that could have implications for the broader political landscape.

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