article

The Republican runoff election for the U.S. Senate primary race in Texas is officially on after President Donald Trump missed the boat to pick a candidate to drop out of the running. 

The president had until 5 p.m. Tuesday to endorse his man, fulfilling a promise he made two weeks ago, after which he said he expected the other candidate to end his bid.

Trump misses drop-out window

The latest:

Now that the date to officially have a candidate’s name removed from the ballot has passed, the runoff, which was up in the air to a degree following Trump’s Truth Social post on primary week, has a bit more excitement to it. 

Texas AG Ken Paxton, the favorite of the crowd further to the right in the Republican voter base, said after the primary that he would only consider leaving the race if the SAVE America Act passes. He also took the opportunity to take a swipe at Sen. John Cornyn, the 24-year incumbent, for taking a less-than-aggressive stance on changing the filibuster rules to assist in passing the bill. Cornyn has since changed his stance on the filibuster.

Related

Cornyn reverses stance on filibuster in push to pass SAVE Act

Texas Sen. John Cornyn is reversing course on his long-standing support for the Senate filibuster in an attempt to push through a President Donald Trump-backed voter ID bill while embattled in a bitter primary runoff campaign in which the president has not picked a side.

What’s next:

The runoff election will happen on May 26. A candidate could still choose to leave the race, but their name would remain on the ballot. 

Trump’s Senate endorsement

The backstory:

While the president does not have the power to force a candidate to leave a political race, Trump made it clear he intended to be the deciding factor for the Republican nominee for the U.S. Senate seat in Texas. 

What they’re saying:

“I will be making my Endorsement soon,” Trump said in his March 4 social post, “and will be asking the candidate that I don’t Endorse to immediately DROP OUT OF THE RACE! Is that fair? We must win in November!!!”

Trump said in the same post that both Cornyn and Paxton ran “great races,” but the race for the general must be “PERFECT.” The most recent moves in the Republican push for a nomination have been AI-generated attack ads. 

Texas race for US Senate

Big picture view:

Cornyn has held the senate seat since 2002, and previously served as the minority whip for Republicans in the Senate. He’s running on his alignment with Trump, who he says he’s voted alongside 99% of the time, and his GOP voting record in general. Critics say he’s been soft on Democrats, at one point backing a bipartisan gun safety bill. He’s most recently caught flak within his party for his supposed lackluster backing for the SAVE act. 

Paxton has been the state AG since 2015. He’s championed a slew of “anti-woke” lawsuits on behalf of the state, often attacking “radical” ideologies such as transgender citizen inclusivity, Islamic communities and schools, and other hot-button social issues. He has the more fervent supporters and critics of the Republican nominees, largely due to his numerous scandals, including alleged affairs and a recent divorce on “biblical grounds.”

Whichever candidate takes the nomination will face Democratic challenger James Talarico in November. Talarico, 36, is the state representative for an area covering part of Austin. The Presbyterian seminarian is praised by his base for his populist, anti-billionaire policy, as well as his support for public education and LGBTQ+ people, and his wish to codify Roe v. Wade. His critics largely decry him as a “false prophet,” using social media clips to attack his progressive social stances as “twisting” biblical teachings. 

What is the SAVE America Act?

Dig deeper:

The legislation stalled in Congress that some seem to see as the hinge point for this race is referred to as the SAVE America Act. It’s also often called the “voter ID bill.”

The bill faces controversy due to its “common sense” branding from conservatives and its “voter suppression” potential from liberals. Supporters tend to believe the bill is warranted, as it’s touted as a method to keep undocumented immigrants from voting. Critics say the fact that drivers’ licenses would no longer be enough to vote would disenfranchise millions of voters. 

The point of the bill would be to require proof of citizenship to vote. Admitted documents would be passports, birth certificates, social security cards, etc. A version of the bill would also allow for voter roll purges and outlaw mail-in voting. Other added items include removing transgender athletes from gendered sports teams and an end to gender-affirming care. 

Recent changes to polling practices in two Texas counties showed the confusing effects of shaking up standard voting procedures. Those opposed to the bill worry voter turnout and overall results could be affected en masse in November. 

The Source: Information in this article comes from previous FOX Local reporting. 

U.S. SenateTexasPolitics