Paxton PAC Runs Ads in Palm Beach as Trump Weighs Endorsement

The super PAC backing Ken Paxton's Senate bid is airing TV ads in Mar-a-Lago's backyard as Trump considers endorsing in the competitive GOP primary runoff.

Mar. 14, 2026 at 10:49pm

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A super PAC supporting Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's Senate campaign is running TV ads in Palm Beach, Florida, where former President Trump is spending the weekend at his Mar-a-Lago resort. The ads accuse Paxton's opponent, Rep. John Cornyn, of "betraying" Trump. Trump is still deciding whether to endorse in the closely watched Republican primary runoff, which will determine who faces the Democratic nominee in November.

Why it matters

Trump's endorsement could be crucial in the GOP primary runoff, and the Paxton-supporting PAC is trying to sway the former president while he's at his Florida resort. The race is seen as an important test of Trump's continued influence within the Republican Party.

The details

Lone Star Liberty PAC released a new TV ad on Friday that accuses Cornyn of "betraying" Trump by voting to confirm Merrick Garland as U.S. Attorney General and Lisa Monaco as Deputy Attorney General in 2021. The ad concludes with a clip of Cornyn telling an NBC News reporter to "go away." Top Republicans have been lobbying Trump to back Cornyn, concerned that Paxton's controversial tenure as Texas Attorney General could make the seat harder to defend in the general election.

  • The GOP primary runoff is scheduled for May 26, 2026.
  • Trump is spending the weekend of March 14, 2026 at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida.

The players

Ken Paxton

The Texas Attorney General and Republican candidate for U.S. Senate.

John Cornyn

The U.S. Representative for Texas's 21st congressional district and Paxton's opponent in the Republican Senate primary runoff.

Lone Star Liberty PAC

A super PAC supporting Ken Paxton's Senate campaign that is running TV ads in Palm Beach, Florida.

Donald Trump

The former President of the United States, who is weighing an endorsement in the competitive Republican Senate primary runoff in Texas.

James Talarico

The Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Texas who will face the winner of the Republican primary runoff in November.

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What they’re saying

“A lot has to do with the SAVE America Act. A lot is going to determine — Republicans have to get that passed, because that will secure voting in this country”

— Donald Trump (NBC News)

“After careful consideration, I support whatever changes to Senate rules that may prove necessary for us to get the SAVE America Act and homeland security funding past the Democrats' obstruction, through the Senate, and on the president's desk for his signature”

— John Cornyn, U.S. Senator (New York Post)

What’s next

Trump is expected to make a decision on his endorsement in the Texas Senate race within the next week.

The takeaway

The battle for Trump's endorsement in the Texas Senate race highlights the former president's continued influence over the Republican Party, as well as the party's efforts to pass voting legislation like the SAVE America Act that could shape future elections.