President Donald Trump is heading to Corpus Christi on Friday to talk energy and the economy, but the three Republicans battling for Texas’ U.S. Senate seat won’t be sharing the stage. Trump is staying neutral for now in the expensive showdown between John Cornyn, Ken Paxton, and Wesley Hunt, saying he hasn’t made up his mind. Nearly 100 million dollars has already poured into the primaries, and most observers expect the Republican race to go to a runoff. Gov. Greg Abbott and several Trump-backed House members are expected to attend.
The trip will follow Trump’s State of the Union address and marks his first return to Texas since visiting flood-ravaged Kerrville last summer. While he’s endorsed dozens of Republicans in other contests, he’s staying neutral in the Senate contest. South Texas has become a key political target as Republicans look to grow support among Hispanic voters. Trump won Texas by 14 points in 2024, his strongest showing in three presidential runs.