Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Thursday signaled a conditional willingness to exit the state’s Republican U.S. Senate runoff, slightly softening his earlier stance that he would remain in the race regardless of political pressure.
In a social media post, Paxton said he would consider dropping out if Senate Republican leaders agreed to abolish the filibuster and move forward with a key piece of legislation backed by President Donald Trump, the SAVE America Act. The proposal would require individuals to provide proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate or passport, when registering to vote and present photo identification at polling places, along with other new election-related rules.
Paxton’s message also criticized his primary opponent, incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, for opposing the elimination of the filibuster to pass the measure. The filibuster is a long-standing Senate procedural rule that typically requires 60 votes in the 100-member chamber to bring most legislation to the floor for a vote. With 53 Republicans in the Senate and unified Democratic opposition expected, the bill cannot currently advance under the existing threshold.
Cornyn has expressed support for the SAVE America Act but has been cautious about changing Senate rules. In response to Paxton’s comments, Cornyn reiterated his backing for the legislation while sidestepping the filibuster debate. “I repeat what I have consistently said: I support the bill and have encouraged Senate Republicans to get it done,” Cornyn said.
Paxton’s offer appeared to many observers as a political challenge directed at Cornyn and Senate leadership rather than a concrete step toward leaving the race. Still, it marked the first time Paxton has publicly suggested he might withdraw since the contest moved into a runoff.
The Republican primary earlier this week failed to produce a majority winner, forcing a runoff between Paxton and Cornyn. The result immediately intensified efforts by both campaigns to secure the endorsement of Trump, who had remained neutral during the first round of voting.
Trump said Wednesday that he would make an endorsement “soon” and suggested that the candidate who does not receive his backing should withdraw “for the good of the Party.” Following the primary, Cornyn and his allies in Senate leadership renewed arguments that the incumbent would be a stronger candidate in a general election.
Before his latest remarks about the SAVE America Act, Paxton had firmly rejected the idea of stepping aside even if Trump endorsed Cornyn. Speaking Thursday with conservative personality Benny Johnson, Paxton said he planned to continue his campaign regardless of outside pressure.
“The people in Washington can have their own opinion,” Paxton said. “The president can have his own opinion. But I’ve been in this race for almost a year, and we’re going to win this race in the runoff.”
Trump responded critically in an interview with Politico. “That is bad for him. So maybe, maybe that leads me to go the other direction,” he said.
The exchange signaled a rare public disagreement between Trump and Paxton, who has previously demonstrated strong loyalty to the former president, including filing a high-profile but unsuccessful lawsuit challenging the results of the 2020 presidential election.
Meanwhile, debate continues within the Senate Republican conference over how to handle the SAVE America Act. Senate Majority Leader John Thune has expressed skepticism about eliminating the filibuster to pass the legislation. Some Republicans have suggested reviving the “talking filibuster,” a rarely used practice that would require senators opposing a bill to continuously hold the floor with speeches to delay a vote.
That approach could prove difficult in practice. Opponents could extend debate for weeks, and Republicans would need to maintain near-constant attendance to preserve a quorum. Democrats would also be able to introduce unlimited amendments if the filibuster were broken, potentially complicating passage of the bill.
