Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton won the Texas Republican Senate runoff election against incumbent Senator John Cornyn, a result that political analysts said demonstrated former President Donald Trump’s continued influence over the Republican Party base.The race was called shortly after polls closed, with CNN and The Wall Street Journal projecting Paxton as the winner by a significant margin.Paxton is now expected to face Democratic state lawmaker James Talarico in the general election in November.

During CNN’s coverage, political analyst John King discussed the outcome with host Kaitlan Collins and emphasized that the result highlighted Trump’s enduring strength within Republican primary politics despite his weaker standing in national polling.

King noted that Trump currently faces declining approval ratings nationally, while issues such as rising gas prices and public dissatisfaction over foreign policy have negatively affected his popularity among the broader electorate.However, King argued that Trump’s endorsement of Paxton had a decisive impact on Republican voters in Texas.He pointed specifically to rural areas in northern Texas, where Cornyn had previously maintained competitive support during the primary phase.

According to King, Trump’s backing rapidly shifted voter support toward Paxton, producing overwhelming margins in counties where Trump traditionally performs strongly.

The article portrays the runoff as another example of Trump’s ability to shape Republican primary elections and influence party loyalty at the state level.It also highlights the growing divide between Republican primary voters and broader national political trends ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.