Republican says Trump’s support of Ken Paxton in Texas primary was ‘colossal mistake’
Thom Tillis says Trump’s decision to back Paxton over John Cornyn has put the Senate seat at risk for Republicans US senator Thom Tillis on Sunday criticized Donald Trump , his fellow Republican, for the president’s support of Ken Paxton over incumbent John Cornyn in the Texas Senate Republican primary. “He made a colossal mistake,” Tillis, a frequent Trump critic from North Carolina, said during…
US Senator Thom Tillis has harshly criticized President Donald Trump for backing Ken Paxton over incumbent John Cornyn in the Texas Senate Republican primary. Tillis, a Republican from North Carolina, described Trump's decision as a "colossal mistake" during a CNN interview. Paxton, the state attorney general, ultimately defeated Cornyn in the May primary, advancing to the general election against Democratic candidate James Talarico.
Tillis argued that Cornyn, a four-term senator, would have helped prevent the GOP from spending millions of dollars in Texas. Cornyn had previously distanced himself from Trump during his 2024 presidential campaign, urging Republicans to move on from the president. Trump praised Paxton's support for his "Make America Great Again" movement, while Cornyn had criticized Trump for his disloyalty.
Despite his impeachment and a pending divorce, Tillis is among the few Republicans openly criticizing Trump.
Written by urgent.news from The Guardian US's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
