Republican Representative Wesley Hunt from Texas has officially backed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in the upcoming Texas Senate race, urging fellow Republicans to come together.
Hunt, who initially entered the race but finished third and didn’t progress to the runoff scheduled for May 26, expressed his support on Tuesday. This announcement came after Donald Trump endorsed Paxton over the sitting Senator John Cornyn.
“Today, President Trump has made his stance clear regarding the Texas Senate race, and both Attorney General Ken Paxton and I stand behind that,” Hunt stated.
“I am immensely proud of the campaign we ran and the nearly 300,000 Texans who championed our message and vision for the future of this great state,” he added, encouraging his supporters to rally behind Paxton as the runoff approaches.
“For all our supporters who believed in our cause, please unite behind the next U.S. Senator from Texas, @KenPaxtonTX,” Hunt urged. “He has the complete endorsement of President Trump, and I do too.”
Hunt emphasized, “This is the moment to unite, fight together, and secure a strong America First victory for Texas and our nation.”
His call to the nearly 300,000 voters to back Paxton is particularly significant, especially after both he and his constituents faced unwarranted criticism on primary night from the executive director of the Cornyn-affiliated Senate Leadership Fund.
Party leader Alex Latcham launched a harsh attack on Hunt during the primary night, which likely alienated many voters Cornyn was looking to win over.
“Congratulations to Wesley Hunt for finishing an abysmal third in the Texas Republican primary. Instead of standing up for President Trump and conservative values, Wesley chose a frivolous and unfounded journey,” he remarked, adding, “Now, Republican voters are stuck with an extended primary runoff.”
Wesley’s endorsement resonates with Trump’s backing, following a tease of a significant endorsement prior to the official announcement on Tuesday morning. Trump characterized Paxton as devoted to the MAGA movement, someone who has proven himself in challenging situations, and labeled him a “winner.”
Trump also underscored Paxton’s advocacy for eliminating the filibuster and championing the Save America Act. He further stated:
Ken is a true MAGA warrior who has consistently served Texas and will persist in doing so in the U.S. Senate. He bolstered our economy, reduced taxes and regulations (I just enacted the largest tax and regulatory cuts in U.S. history!), and propelled America forward. We will enhance America’s energy dominance, support Texas oil and gas, advocate for our farmers and ranchers, promote school choice, secure our borders, combat immigration crime, and steadfastly look after our military and veterans. It’s essential to safeguard our elections and the Second Amendment, which is always at risk.
Trump described Cornyn as a “good man” but criticized him for lacking support during tough times.
“John was very slow to endorse me at crucial moments that turned into historic victories for the Republican nomination and the presidency itself. But those were landslide outcomes and, more importantly, contributed to the nation we enjoy now, the Golden Age of America,” he noted. Trump ultimately regarded Paxton as a “warrior” with a winning mindset.
Recent polling by the University of Houston’s Hobby School of Public Affairs indicates that Paxton is currently leading Cornyn in the runoff with a 48% approval rating among likely Republican voters, compared to 45% for the incumbent.
The victor of the May 26 runoff will face Democratic Congressman James Talarico in the general election.
