President Donald Trump privately expressed regret over his decision to endorse Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton over longtime Republican Sen.
John Cornyn, according to a new report detailing the behind-the-scenes disagreements that preceded the GOP's devastating midterm election losses.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump began second-guessing his endorsement of Paxton, who ultimately lost Tuesday's Senate election to Democrat James Talarico. The defeat handed Democrats a Senate seat in Texas for the first time in decades and intensified questions about the Republican Party's campaign strategy.
According to advisers who spoke with the Journal, Trump complained privately about Paxton's candidacy and wondered whether supporting Cornyn would have made the race easier for Republicans to win.
The reported change of heart came after months of warnings from senior Republican officials who feared that nominating Paxton would turn a traditionally reliable GOP seat into an expensive and potentially disastrous general election contest.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune was among those who repeatedly urged Trump to support Cornyn, arguing that the four-term incumbent offered Republicans a safer path to victory. The disagreement became particularly apparent following Texas's initial Republican primary in March, when neither Cornyn nor Paxton secured an outright majority, forcing a runoff.
According to the Wall Street Journal report, Trump contacted Thune the following day to discuss which candidate deserved his endorsement. Rep. Wesley Hunt, who finished third in the primary, joined the conversation and argued that Cornyn could not win.
Thune reportedly warned the president that helping Paxton win the general election could cost Republicans between $200 million and $300 million, potentially draining resources from competitive races elsewhere.
Despite those concerns, Trump remained convinced that Paxton enjoyed stronger support among grassroots Republican voters.
The Journal reported that Thune left multiple conversations believing he had persuaded Trump to avoid intervening in the race. At one point, an endorsement statement supporting Cornyn was reportedly drafted but never released.
Trump ultimately backed Paxton in May after growing frustrated with Senate Republicans over their failure to advance his preferred voting legislation. The endorsement represented a significant victory for the MAGA wing of the Republican Party, which had long criticized Cornyn over his relationship with Trump and positions on several major policy issues.
Paxton went on to defeat Cornyn decisively in the Republican runoff, securing nearly 64 percent of the vote. However, his general election campaign faced substantial challenges, including controversy surrounding his personal conduct and previous impeachment proceedings.
Those concerns proved consequential Tuesday when Talarico defeated Paxton, delivering Democrats one of their most significant victories of the election cycle. Despite the reported private doubts, Trump publicly defended his decision during an Election Day interview with Fox News.
"I had no choice. Ken Paxton, he's a good guy. And I just wasn't a fan of Cornyn," Trump said.
The president accused Cornyn of disloyalty, suggesting their complicated political relationship made an endorsement impossible. Trump's reported regret now adds another dimension to the Republican Party's post-election reckoning, as GOP leaders assess how candidate selection and internal divisions contributed to their losses.
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