Turning Point endorsed Ken Paxton for Senate in Texas
The Republican Senate primary in Texas will take place on March 3. They will pit incumbent Senator John Cornyn, who is seeking a fifth consecutive term, against Paxton and Congressman Wesley Hunt, who was the last to enter the race.
Ken Paxton in Austin/ Bob Daemmrich.
Turning Point Action endorsed the candidacy of Ken Paxton for Senate in Texas. It is the political arm of the Turning Point USA organization, founded by Charlie Kirk, which decided to endorse the Lone Star State attorney general in one of the most competitive and expensive primaries of 2026.
The Republican Senate primary in Texas will take place next March 3. They will pit incumbent Senator John Cornyn, who is seeking a fifth consecutive term, against Paxton and Congressman Wesley Hunt, who was the last to enter the race.
"I’m honored to be endorsed by Turning Point Action. The movement that Charlie Kirk built has inspired millions, and I’m proud to be standing alongside Turning Point Action in carrying on the fight to save this country and defend our freedoms," Paxton said of the endorsement.
">BREAKING: I’m honored to be endorsed by Turning Point Action.
— Attorney General Ken Paxton (@KenPaxtonTX) February 9, 2026
The movement that Charlie Kirk built has inspired millions, and I’m proud to be standing alongside Turning Point Action in carrying on the fight to save this country and defend our freedoms. pic.twitter.com/cIxvNuUtR0
After three terms as Texas attorney general, Paxton announced his candidacy for Senate in April 2025. He ran as a more conservative candidate than Cornyn, loyal to Donald Trump and opposed to the establishment in Washington, DC.
"We have another great U.S. senator, Ted Cruz, and it’s time we have another great senator that will actually stand up and fight for Republican values, fight for the values of the people of Texas, and also support Trump, Donald Trump, in the areas that he’s focused on in a very significant way. And that’s what I plan on doing," he said at the time.
According to Texas election rules, if no candidate exceeds 50% of the vote in the primary, the top two vote-getters must face off in a runoff to determine the party's nominee.
According to the latest polls, a runoff scenario seems almost inevitable, since none of the three Republicans is close to 50% of the primary vote.
Both President Trump and Ted Cruz, the other senator from Texas, have avoided making an official endorsement in this race. Asked in early February about an eventual endorsement, Trump responded as follows: "I'm thinking about it very seriously. My problem is that I have a good relationship with all of them. So those are the tough ones."
As for Cornyn, he questions Paxton's electoral ability, arguing that he would drag the other candidates on the ballot or might even lose. For his part, Hunt is running as anoutsideron the basis of his youth and military background.
What do the polls say?
Meanwhile, the 270 to Win average shows Paxton with 30.7%, Cornyn with 27.7% and Hunt with 19.7%.
In any event, all of these scenarios pose a runoff, penciled in for May 26.
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