U.S. Sen. John Cornyn is seeking President Donald Trump’s endorsement ahead of the 2026 Republican Senate Primary, despite years of public criticism from Trump and a voting record many Republicans view as out of step with the GOP base.
Cornyn’s outreach to Trump comes as he faces a serious primary challenge from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is gaining momentum with strong grassroots support and currently leads in early polls.
“I have talked to him about it a number of times. He is not ready to make that endorsement,” Cornyn told NBC News.
For many Republicans, Cornyn’s efforts appear politically motivated and sharply at odds with his past actions. In 2022, Cornyn partnered with Democrats to craft a gun control package following the Uvalde school shooting — a move that drew condemnation from Trump.
“The deal on ‘Gun Control’ currently being structured and pushed in the Senate by the Radical Left Democrats, with the help of Mitch McConnell, RINO Senator John Cornyn of Texas, and others, will go down in history as the first step in the movement to TAKE YOUR GUNS AWAY,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “Republicans, be careful what you wish for.”
In 2023, Cornyn further distanced himself from Trump, telling reporters the GOP needed a “new leader” for 2024.
“We need to come up with an alternative,” he said. “I think President Trump’s time has passed him by and what is the most important thing to me is we have a candidate who can actually win.”
Trump responded by publicly rebuking Cornyn, comparing him to Utah Sen. Mitt Romney.
“Who is a worse Senator, John ‘The Stiff’ Cornyn of Texas, or Mitt ‘The Loser’ Romney of Massachusetts?” Trump wrote. “They are both weak, ineffective, and very bad for the Republican Party and our Nation. Likewise there is Cornyn, always quick to surrender to the Democrats, giving them anything they want.”
Despite repeated public attacks from Trump, Cornyn is now attempting to align himself with the President and the conservative base. Among many Texas Republicans, the move is being seen as a last-minute political calculation rather than genuine support.
Another controversial political move by Cornyn is his recent campaign ad, which has drawn criticism from conservatives. The ad appears to be altered, creating the impression that Trump exclusively praised Cornyn, omitting U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz entirely, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
Adding to Cornyn’s challenges, his campaign is facing new controversy. As previously reported by The Dallas Express, Cornyn’s communications director, Matt Mackowiak, is under scrutiny after allegations surfaced from conservative activist Laura Loomer and others that he paid a Florida-based sex worker.
The Dallas Express reached out to Cornyn’s campaign for comment but has not received a response.