Trending Now - Texas Senate Runoff Set as Withdrawal Period Expires
WHO:
White House officials stated that President Trump was preoccupied with the war with Iran.
Campaign spokesman for Cornyn, Matt Mackowiak, stated, “of course not” when asked about the chance of Cornyn dropping out.
Campaign spokesman for Paxton, Nick Maddux, declined to comment on whether Paxton plans to step down.
President Donald Trump
Texas Senator John Cornyn
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton
Senate Majority Leader John Thune
Austin state Representative James Talarico
WHAT:
Trump has not endorsed either candidate nearly two weeks after promising to do so.
Cornyn's campaign released an ad highlighting allegations against Paxton, including an affair and his impeachment by the Texas House.
Paxton's campaign introduced a new attack ad against Cornyn on March 17th, 2026.
The deadline for Republican candidates to withdraw from the primary runoff ballot passed on March 17th, 2026, at 5 p.m. CST without any movement from either candidate.
Trump stated, “I’ll let you know that over the next week or so,” when asked about his endorsement of Cornyn.
Trump mentioned, “A lot has to do with the SAVE America Act,” indicating its influence on his endorsement decision.
Trump missed the deadline for candidates to withdraw from the Texas Senate runoff ballot.
Both Cornyn and Paxton will appear on the ballot for the May 26, 2026 runoff.
Trump had promised to endorse one of the candidates and requested the non-endorsed candidate to drop out.
Paxton stated he would consider dropping out if the Senate passed the SAVE America Act.
Trump described Paxton's ultimatum as a “genius move.”
WHERE:
Texas
U.S. Senate
WHEN:
The deadline for candidates to withdraw from the runoff ballot was on March 17th, 2026, at 5 p.m. CST.
The deadline for withdrawal was on March 17th, 2026, at 5 p.m. CST.
The Texas Senate runoff is scheduled for May 26th, 2026.
The primary election occurred on March 3rd, 2026.
WHY:
Trump expressed that the SAVE America Act would “guarantee the midterms” for Republicans.
Trump expressed that the passage of the SAVE America Act would “secure voting in this country.”
Trump aimed to unify the party to focus on defeating the Democratic nominee, Talarico.
Senate GOP leaders pressured Trump to endorse Cornyn, believing Paxton would be a liability in the general election.
HOW:
A pro-Paxton super PAC aired an ad in the West Palm Beach, Florida market, which includes Trump’s resort home, Mar-a-Lago.
The Texas GOP canvassed results a day earlier than the last possible date, which affected the withdrawal deadline.
Candidates can withdraw their names from the ballot until three days after the results are canvassed.
The Texas GOP canvassed results a day earlier than the last possible date, affecting the withdrawal deadline.
Trump’s endorsement was tied to the SAVE America Act, which includes stricter voter ID requirements.
(UPDATED March 18, 2026 13:26 UTC)
Today, White House officials revealed that President Trump is focused on the ongoing war with Iran, while he has yet to endorse either candidate in the Texas runoff, nearly two weeks after promising to do so. Last Monday marked the deadline for candidates to withdraw from the ballot, and Cornyn's campaign has been actively highlighting allegations against Paxton, who just released a new attack ad against Cornyn. Additionally, a pro-Paxton super PAC has begun airing ads in the West Palm Beach area, which includes Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort.
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(UPDATED March 18, 2026 09:13 UTC)
The deadline for Republican candidates to withdraw from the primary runoff ballot passed on March 17 at 5 p.m. CST without any changes from either candidate. Trump indicated that he would announce his endorsement of Cornyn in the coming week, noting that his decision is heavily influenced by the SAVE America Act, which he believes will secure voting in the country. Additionally, the Texas GOP canvassed results a day earlier than the last possible date, impacting the withdrawal deadline.
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(UPDATED March 18, 2026 07:21 UTC)
In a significant development, President Trump missed the March 17 deadline to withdraw from the Texas Senate runoff ballot, which is set for May 26. Both Texas Senator John Cornyn and Attorney General Ken Paxton will appear on that ballot, with Paxton indicating he might consider dropping out if the Senate passes the SAVE America Act, a move Trump called a “genius.” The pressure from Senate GOP leaders for Trump to endorse Cornyn stems from concerns that Paxton could be a liability against Democratic nominee James Talarico.