Donald Trump’s reported decision to back incumbent Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) over far-right Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in the upcoming runoff has left his MAGA base “befuddled” and furious, with grassroots supporters making their displeasure loudly known. According to the Washington Post, Trump acknowledges both candidates carry liabilities but believes Cornyn’s baggage is substantially lighter than Paxton’s, who faced an acrimonious divorce, corruption allegations and an attempted impeachment. Yet Paxton’s uncompromising far-right positions hold far greater appeal to Trump’s base, who view Cornyn as a Republican in Name Only (RINO) and resent his occasional criticism of Trump—an unforgivable transgression among MAGA loyalists. While Trump can overlook Cornyn’s occasional departures from his policies, many of his supporters are far less forgiving. When word of Trump’s endorsement intentions spread Wednesday, MAGA activists flooded social media with reminders of Cornyn’s opposition to Trump’s 2020 election overturn efforts and his 2023 comments suggesting Republicans should move past Trump. Stephen K. Bannon, a former top Trump adviser broadcasting his “War Room” podcast from Texas for the past five weeks in support of Paxton, captured the sentiment: “This is why the grassroots is apoplectic. They hate Cornyn. They don’t hate him because he’s a ‘RINO,’ they don’t hate him because of his record. They don’t like him because of that, but they hate him because he has hated on Trump.” Mark Davis, a conservative Texas radio host closely attuned to Trump-supporting Republican activists, described the impossible position: “It is a massive ask for the president, love him though we may, to come in and say, ‘Hey, that conservative that you love for the same reasons you love me? I want you to change your mind’” and not vote for Paxton. Raheem Kassam, editor of the conservative National Pulse and MAGA-aligned political operative, observed that the backlash is morphing into something more troubling: “More than anger, it’s creating apathy,” referring to activists frustrated by Trump’s support for Cornyn.
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