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Texas Governor Greg Abbott, a Republican, will not be endorsing a candidate in the high-stakes GOP Senate runoff election in the Lone Star State, The Dallas Morning News reported on Thursday.
“I haven’t made one yet, and I’m not going to make one,” Abbott said, according to the outlet, following a news conference about criminal justice. “I’ve worked with both of them very closely.”
The race advanced to a Republican runoff after neither incumbent Senator John Cornyn nor Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton won a majority in March, setting up a nationally watched intraparty contest that could signal the GOP’s direction in a critical Sun Belt state while determining who faces Democratic nominee James Talarico in November.
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Newsweek reached out to both campaigns for comment via email on Friday.
President Donald Trump’s potential endorsement also looms over the race, as the president has not formally backed a candidate.
What To Know
Renée D Cross, Senior Executive Director & Researcher at University of Houston's Hobby School of Public Affairs, told Newsweek on Friday, "Governor Abbott has a very high favorability rating among likely Republican primary voters at 75% so his endorsement could make a difference in the very small number of undecided voters."
Cross continued, "However when the race appears to be so close, endorsements can make a difference with voters on the fence. Considering that Cornyn is described as a RINO by some Republicans, an endorsement by Abbott — someone that Republican voters view very favorably — could help Cornyn's numbers. Of course an Abbott endorsement could help Paxton as well but not to the same degree in my opinion since Paxton already has support among the most conservative Republican voters."
The Hobby School of Public Affairs at the University of Houston poll was conducted from April 28 to May 1, 2026, among 1,200 likely GOP primary runoff voters, with a margin of error of 2.83 percent.
Other prominent Republican lawmakers in the state have also stayed away from backing a candidate, including Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick and Senator Ted Cruz, USA Today reports.
The Senate primary race has been noticeably icy between Cornyn and Paxton amid numerous campaign ads and posts to social media. Cornyn has said Paxton is plagued with scandals and Paxton has gone after Cornyn over immigration and says he helps Democrats.
Grant Davis Reeher, professor of political science at Syracuse University, told Newsweek on Friday night that, "I think he’s [Abbott] right to stay out of it. It’s a very competitive race and although endorsements usually don’t make a big difference, the governor could influence regular primary voters who are undecided. He also avoids any political blowback on him personally by not backing the losing candidate. He's taking a more 'presidential' approach in not endorsing."
What Polls Show
The runoff election is scheduled for May 26.
A Texas Public Opinion Research poll conducted from April 17 to April 20 among 1,018 likely voters showed Talarico besting both Paxton and Cornyn in potential head-to-head races. Talarico leads Cornyn 44 to 41 percent, and the Democratic nominee also leads Paxton 46 percent to 41 percent. The poll has a margin of error of 3.3 percent.
A poll from co/efficient last month shows Paxton is 1 point behind Cornyn, with 43 percent versus 44 percent. The poll shows that 13 percent are undecided. In a similar breakdown, 43 percent of women support Paxton versus 44 percent for Cornyn. The tight figures are reversed with men, as 44 percent choose Paxton versus 43 percent siding with Cornyn.
Among Hispanics, Cornyn has a 10-point advantage, with 47 percent of the vote compared to Paxton's 37 percent.
The poll was taken from April 11 to April 14 among 1,143 likely Republican primary voters and has a 3.07 percent margin of error.
Meanwhile, prediction market site Polymarket shows that Paxton leads with 62 percent compared to Cornyn's 39 percent on Friday at 5:09 p.m. ET.
What Trump Has Said About the Race
While aboard Air Force One on his way back to the United States from China, Trump was asked about potentially making an endorsement in the race.
"I'm looking at it very strongly. I like them both. I'll tell you what I do think, I think the Democrats have a weird, a weird candidate," Trump said in part. He later called Talarico a "pathetic candidate, especially for Texas" and "bad news."
Earlier this month, Trump was asked why he has not backed either Paxton or Cornyn in the Lone Star State's GOP Senate primary, responding in part, "I'll make a decision."
When pressed on the timing of that decision, Trump said, "Maybe relatively soon, I like them both actually.”
What’s Next
All eyes now turn to the May 26 runoff, where Republican voters will decide between Cornyn and Paxton in a race that could shape the GOP’s direction in Texas and beyond. With Abbott and other top state Republicans staying neutral, the final stretch is likely to intensify, with both campaigns escalating attacks and turnout efforts.
A potential endorsement from Trump remains a major wildcard, especially given how close the race appears in polling and prediction markets. Any late intervention could shift momentum in the final days.
The winner will go on to face Talarico in November, where early polling suggests a competitive general election that could test Republican strength in a traditionally red state.
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