Trump Endorses Three Candidates in Texas Congressional Runoffs

President Donald Trump has endorsed three candidates in Republican congressional runoff elections in Texas scheduled for May 26, with early voting set to begin May 18. The endorsements cover Alex Mealer in the 9th District against Texas State Rep. Briscoe Cain, Carlos De La Cruz in the 35th District against Texas State Rep.

John Lujan, and Jon Bonck in the 38th District against Shelly deZevallos. Trump had backed more than 130 candidates ahead of the March Texas Republican primaries. While many of those candidates secured outright victories, others advanced to the May runoff.

Trump has not issued an endorsement in the Texas U.S. Senate contest between Attorney General Ken Paxton and Sen. John Cornyn. A recent poll showed Paxton with a slight lead among Texas Republican voters. Trump also has not endorsed in several other Republican primary runoff races, including the statewide contests for attorney general between Mayes Middleton and Chip Roy and for railroad commissioner between Bo French and Jim Wright.

At the congressional level, Trump has stayed out of runoffs in the 7th, 16th, 19th, 30th, 33rd and 37th Districts. The candidates in those races are Tina Cohen versus Alexander Hale, Manuel J. Barraza versus Adam Bauman, Abraham Enriquez versus Tom Sell, Sholdon Daniels versus Everett Jackson, Patrick Gillespie versus John Sims, and Ge’Nell Gary versus Lauren B.

Peña.

Some Trump-backed candidates have not prevailed. In a January special election for Texas' 9th state Senate district, Trump supported Republican candidate Leigh Wambsganss. Trump later told reporters he was not on the ballot and questioned how transferable his support would be.

Trump also endorsed Sid Miller for reelection as Texas agriculture commissioner. Miller lost the March Republican primary to challenger Nate Sheets. Some Trump-backed candidates like Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick secured the GOP nomination outright in March and will not appear on the May runoff ballot.

Even candidates Trump has not endorsed are working to demonstrate alignment with the president. The dynamic appears in multiple states as primaries approach, with some incumbents facing Trump-backed challengers over past breaks with the president.

"I'm not on the ballot. So, you don't know whether or not it's transferable, but you put the Democrats in, you'll end up with open borders again." — President Donald Trump, Feb. 1.