Republicans race to back Ken Paxton as runoff sets up closely watched US Senate battle in Texas

Republican leaders rushed to throw their weight behind Ken Paxton following his big primary victory in Texas over the four-term US senator, John Cornyn, amid anxiety within the party over his prospects in November’s general election. Hours after the race was called, Donald Trump – who backed Paxton, despite intense concern among establishment Republicans – took to Truth Social to attack his Democratic rival in the midterm elections. James Talarico “may be the worst Texas candidate I have ever seen”, said the US president, claiming the Austin state representative and Democratic nominee for Texas senator was weak on crime and an advocate for open borders. Reaching for a favored Republican attack line against Talarico, Trump claimed he was a vegan who “dislikes meat, not exactly a good way to be if you’re wanting to win an Election in Texas”. The Democrat has denied being vegan. “I’ve been eating barbecue since before Ken Paxton’s first indictment,” he told a podcast earlier this week. While Texas has not elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1988, Republican operatives have privately worried that Paxton’s long trail of legal troubles would make him a riskier standard-bearer than the incumbent. Of the outgoing Cornyn, a veteran US senator who enjoyed the support of many of his Republican colleagues on Capitol Hill, Trump was more measured. “John will remain my friend for a long time to come,” he said. …