GOP strategist Brad Todd is publicly challenging President Trump’s decision to back Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton over incumbent Senator John Cornyn in the Republican primary.
Todd made the pointed remarks on Sunday, describing the endorsement as a costly miscalculation with significant consequences for the Republican Party.
“I think the president made a 100-million-dollar mistake in picking Ken Paxton and urging Republican primary voters to vote for him,” Todd said directly.
Todd’s criticism centers on the belief that Cornyn represented a stronger and more electable choice for Republicans heading into the Senate race.
“John Cornyn is a much more…” Todd continued, suggesting the incumbent senator held clear advantages over Paxton as a candidate.
The comments underscore a growing tension within Republican circles over Trump’s involvement in shaping the direction of primary contests across the country.
Paxton, who has served as Texas Attorney General, secured Trump’s backing despite facing scrutiny from various corners of the Republican establishment.
Cornyn, a long-serving Republican senator from Texas, was positioned as the safer and more established choice according to strategists aligned with the party’s traditional wing.
Todd’s public rebuke is notable given his standing as a Republican strategist, making his willingness to criticize Trump’s endorsement strategy a significant moment in the primary debate.
The “$100 million” figure Todd cited reflects his assessment of the financial and political costs Republicans may face as a result of backing Paxton over Cornyn in this Senate contest.