Election season is here. But not for everyone. In Trumpworld? The eyes are already shifting. Away from the presidential crown. Toward the midterms. Specifically, three primaries are now top of the White House priority list. Texas. California. Maine.
Strategists say the pressure is mounting. And the timing is messy.
Showdown in Texas
Donald Trump dropped his endorsement last Tuesday. Last minute. Always last minute. He picked Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. Not incumbent John Cornyn. It’s a shock move, even inside the White House.
May 26 is primary day. Trump waited until one week out to declare his pick. His aides weren’t told ahead of time. Sources confirm the surprise. On Truth Social, the rationale was vague. “Gone through a lot.” That’s the selling point?
Paxton has baggage. Serious baggage.
– Impeachment charges in 2023.
– A 2024 plea deal for roughly $300k. No guilt admitted, but no trial either. Avoided a felony securities fraud charge.
– Accused of adultery by his wife in 2025. She cited biblical grounds.
There’s more. A federal grand jury watched him for years. Suspected misuse of office. The DOJ closed the probe under Biden. No charges filed.
If Paxton wins— which Washington thinks he will after this endorsement— the fallout starts early. It hurts the GOP later in November. Why? Voters might reject Paxton in the general.
He’s framed as the MAGA candidate. Some voters see him as objectionable. Cornyn was easier to tolerate. Now, Democrats smell blood. If Paxton is the target, they get energized.
James Talarico, the Democrat, needs only to mimic Beto O’Rourke’s 2018 strategy. Big small-donor fundraising numbers. If that happens, Republicans bleed money. They’ll spend more defending Paxton. That cash won’t go to vulnerable seats elsewhere. It vanishes into Texas.
Then there’s Congress.
White House strategists worry about the Senate dynamics. Six months remain until midterms. Senator Bill Cassidy is already furious. He lost his Louisiana primary to a Trump-backed outsider last week. He’s blocking legislative priorities. Open rebellion.
Now, Cornyn might join the protest line.
“It is short-sighted,” one 2024 Trump campaign strategist told WIRED. Anonymity requested, obviously. “Cornyn is reliable on big issues. Now we risk battles in the Senate.”
The majority is 53-47. Slender. Fragile. It only takes two disaffected Republicans— Cassidy and Cornyn— plus two more, to break the will of the White House. No funds for the ballroom. No votes for Iran strikes.
Internal fights brew, too. Chris LaCivita, co-chief of Trump’s 2024 team, works for Cornyn. So does pollster Tony Fabrizio.
Within minutes of the announcement, Corey Lewandowski— LaCivita’s nemesis— posted on X. Declared the Cornyn campaign dead. Drama before the first ballot.
The White House wouldn’t comment. They pointed to the post on Truth Social. End of discussion.
Curiosity in California
Texas dominates the headlines. But Trumpworld has its eyes elsewhere. California’s June 2 gubernatorial primary.
Is it a priority? Barely. They expect a Democratic hold. Solidly blue. But the system matters here. Top-two primary. The two candidates with the most votes advance in November. Regardless of party.
Why watch it? Academic interest. Strategy tweaking. Nothing urgent compared to the fire burning in Texas.
