Former GOP presidential candidate and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie is warning his party about President Trump’s recent endorsement of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who faces incumbent Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) in a primary runoff on Tuesday, May 26. (The winner faces State Rep. James Talarico, the Democratic nominee, in the general election in November.)
Christie wrote on Tuesday: “President Trump continues to put his insatiable hunger for revenge ahead of the Republican Party’s success. If his endorsement of Ken Paxton leads to his nomination, tens of millions of dollars will be diverted from competitive races in Ohio, Maine, North Carolina and Alaska to prop up Ken Paxton (who is losing in general election polls). If we lose the Senate in November, there will be one person to blame–President Trump.”
President Trump continues to put his insatiable hunger for revenge ahead of the Republican Party’s success. If his endorsement of Ken Paxton leads to his nomination, tens of millions of dollars will be diverted from competitive races in Ohio, Maine, North Carolina and Alaska to…
— Chris Christie (@GovChristie) May 19, 2026
Christie’s comment is receiving backlash from MAGA supporters on social media. More than one noted that the GOP spent approximately $100 million on Cornyn in the primary and argued that money “could have been better spent elsewhere.”
[NOTE: Trump announced his endorsement of Paxton after his chosen candidate in Louisiana, Rep. Julia Letlow, pushed incumbent Sen. Bill Cassidy out of the GOP primary over the weekend. Letlow and Louisiana State Treasurer John Fleming are now in a June 27 Republican runoff.]
Cornyn, who has voted with Trump 99% of the time, responded to Trump’s endorsement of Paxton on social media: “It is now time for Texas Republican voters to decide if they want a strong nominee to help our GOP candidates down ballot and defeat Talarico in November, or a weak nominee who jeopardizes everything we care about. I trust the Republican voters of Texas.”
I have worked closely with President Trump through both of his Presidential terms and voted with him more than 99% of the time. He has consistently called me a friend in this race. It is now time for Texas Republican voters to decide if they want a strong nominee to help our GOP…
— Senator John Cornyn (@JohnCornyn) May 19, 2026