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Trump's Epic Screw Up Could Get James Talarico Elected And Cost Republicans The Senate

Trump said that he would endorse in the Texas US Senate Republican runoff before the candidate withdrawal deadline, but Trump forgot about it, and did a big favor for Democrat James Talarico.

Jason Easley's avatar
Jason Easley
Mar 18, 2026
∙ Paid

Donald Trump has been a total disaster for Republicans in the US Senate race in Texas. Trump had a chance to endorse a candidate during the Republican Senate primary. The president even held an event in Texas where he invited all three candidates who were running in the primary, only to not endorse any of them.

On primary night, no Republican got a majority of the vote, so the top two finishers, Sen. John Cornyn and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, advanced to a runoff election in May.

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Republicans have already burned through $100 million and counting in the Texas primary, with a projected additional $100 million being possibly spent in the runoff. National Republicans are pressuring Trump to endorse Cornyn.

Trump tried to end the runoff by promising that he would endorse a candidate before the deadline for candidates to withdraw from the race, but in return, Trump wanted a promise that the candidate who didn’t win his endorsement would quit the race.

Republicans were thrilled. Their nightmare was over. Trump was going to endorse and put an end to the Texas money pit primary.

Senate Republicans heard that Trump was leaning toward endorsing Cornyn, so they waited, and waited, and waited.

Trump didn’t endorse, and the reason why will make your jaw drop.

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