Trump Abandons GOP Candidates – Complete BLOODBATH!

President Trump just threw a wrench into what establishment Republicans hoped would be a smooth coronation in Texas, refusing to pick a side as voters prepare to choose between an incumbent senator and his rebellious challengers.

Story Snapshot

Trump declined to endorse any candidate in the Texas GOP Senate primary on February 16, 2026, just hours before early voting began
Attorney General Ken Paxton leads polls at 36-38% over incumbent Senator John Cornyn at 27-31%, with Rep. Wesley Hunt trailing at 15%
Trump’s endorsement could sway 55% of likely GOP primary voters, making his neutrality a strategic gamble that frustrates party leaders
The divisive primary threatens to drain resources and potentially risk a seat Republicans have held since 1994

Trump’s Strategic Silence Speaks Volumes

Trump’s declaration aboard Air Force One that he likes all three candidates equally marks a dramatic departure from his typical kingmaker role in Republican primaries. The timing couldn’t be more calculated or frustrating for establishment players. Senate Republican leaders had privately urged Trump to back Cornyn, viewing an endorsement as insurance against a protracted battle that could weaken whoever emerges victorious. Instead, Trump praised all three men as supporters and friends, adding cryptically that the race “has a ways to go” before the March 3 primary. His refusal to choose sides preserves maximum leverage while letting the candidates fight it out.

The Establishment Versus The Movement

John Cornyn represents everything the old Republican Party stood for: measured conservatism, institutional knowledge, and the fundraising prowess that comes with seniority. He’s seeking his fifth term with a war chest that dwarfs his competitors, money he’s now deploying to attack Paxton’s vulnerabilities. Ken Paxton embodies the insurgent energy that has reshaped the Texas GOP, positioning himself as the pure conservative alternative. His criticism of Cornyn centers on votes that enrage the base: support for Ukraine aid, DREAM Act provisions for DACA recipients, and the post-Uvalde gun safety compromise that Trump himself once labeled as grounds to call Cornyn a “hopeless RINO.”

Wesley Hunt rounds out the field as the underdog congressman, appealing to Trump loyalists but stuck in third place. The polling reveals a party split down ideological lines. Paxton dominates among “Trump Movement” voters, the activists who view compromise as betrayal. Cornyn holds traditional Republicans who prioritize electability and experience. With 22% of primary voters still undecided and Trump commanding 89% favorability among likely voters, his eventual endorsement or continued silence will determine which faction controls Texas Republican politics for the next generation.

The High Stakes of Intra-Party Warfare

Texas hasn’t elected a Democrat to statewide office since 1994, a streak that has made Republicans complacent about general election competitiveness. That confidence now faces a stress test. Democratic candidates like Jasmine Crockett and James Talarico are watching Republicans tear into each other, preserving resources while the GOP burns through millions before the real fight begins. The longer this primary battle rages, the more ammunition Democrats collect and the fewer dollars remain for November’s contest.

GOP strategists fear a scenario where a wounded nominee limps into the general election, turnout suffers from primary exhaustion, or disappointed supporters of losing candidates sit out November entirely. Even in deep-red Texas, margins matter when Democrats are unified and motivated. The establishment’s nightmare scenario involves Paxton winning the nomination but carrying baggage that makes suburban moderates queasy, or Cornyn prevailing but facing a depressed base that views him as insufficiently conservative. Trump’s refusal to arbitrate this dispute means both nightmares remain possible.

Reading Trump’s Poker Face

Trump’s neutrality appears strategic rather than indecisive. He maintains relationships with all three candidates while letting polls and debates winnow the field organically. If Paxton’s lead holds or expands, Trump can endorse the likely winner and claim credit for victory. If Cornyn’s money and organization close the gap, Trump can pivot toward the safer general election bet without alienating his base. This approach maximizes Trump’s influence while minimizing risk of backing a loser, though it infuriates party leaders who wanted this settled weeks ago.

Trump Withholds Endorsement As Texas GOP Senate Primary Early Voting Beginshttps://t.co/K9cykk9pPB

— RedState (@RedState) February 17, 2026

The numbers explain why Trump holds such power in this race. Hobby School polling from January showed 55% of likely Republican primary voters would be more likely to support whichever candidate Trump endorses. Combined with his 89% favorability rating among these voters, Trump’s word carries more weight than every other endorsement combined. Ted Cruz, who backed Cornyn in 2020, now stays neutral. Governor Greg Abbott remains silent. Even Vice President JD Vance hasn’t picked a side. They’re all waiting to see which way Trump moves, and Trump shows no signs of moving at all until he’s ready.