Why Trump bucked his party and made a risky bet on Ken Paxton
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Sen. Tim Scott called President Trump on Tuesday with a last-ditch plea.The president was on the verge of publicly endorsing Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in the state’s tightly contested Republican primary.
Scott, a South Caroline Republican who leads the Senate’s campaign arm, urged him to reconsider, according to people familiar with the conversation.Thirty minutes later, Trump backed Paxton anyway, breaking with Scott and other senior Republicans in Washington, who have long believed that Paxton’s GOP opponent, four-term incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, was a safer bet.The decision, which came after months of waffling, reflected the president’s renewed conviction that he maintains an iron grip on the party following recent electoral victories, according to people familiar with his thinking.
It was also a warning shot to Republicans in Congress that Trump won’t tolerate dissent.Trump was emboldened by his successful campaign to oust Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, who lost a GOP primary on Sunday after the president attacked him online and endorsed his opponent.
Trump has also repeatedly attacked GOP Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, who is on the ballot Tuesday and has bucked the president in Congress.The president in recent days has also grown frustrated by a series of setbacks on Capitol Hill—and he was looking for an opportunity to send a message to congressional Republicans, some of the people said.In recent weeks, GOP lawmakers have publicly raised concerns about his plans to seek $1 billion in federal funding for security-related upgrades tied to the White House ballroom.
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