Staff Reports
Senator Thom Tillis told CNN that President Donald Trump’s late endorsement of Attorney General Ken Paxton was “a colossal mistake.” That line has traveled fast, with national outlets treating the remark like a scandal. But here’s the truth: Texas Republicans already made their choice, and a retiring senator from North Carolina lecturing Lone Star voters doesn’t change the math on Election Day.
Tillis’s Blow-By-Blow: “A Colossal Mistake”
On CNN’s State of the Union, Senator Tillis said Trump’s endorsement turned what should have been an easy hold into a dangerous fight. “He made a colossal mistake,” Tillis said, arguing Republicans “would not be spending tens or hundreds of millions of dollars in Texas if Cornyn had won.” That’s a fair point about party money and strategy. It’s also a strange hill for a senator who has said he won’t run again to climb while telling Texans how to vote months after they already did.
Why Tillis Thinks Paxton Is Risky
Tillis pointed to Paxton’s baggage as the reason the seat is suddenly competitive. Paxton’s impeachment and later acquittal, a pretrial diversion in a securities case, and messy personal headlines are real headaches for any candidate. Polls show the general election is close, with Democrat James Talarico sometimes holding a narrow lead. So yes, the GOP’s math could require big spending to defend the seat — and Tillis is right that the odds are tighter than they would’ve been with John Cornyn on the ballot.
Timing, Tone, and Media Spotlight
Here’s the part the national press likes: a Republican criticizing Trump. That makes for a juicy headline and lets outlets crow about GOP disarray. The Guardian and others ran Tillis’s words front and center, as if a retiring senator’s critique is proof the voters were wrong. But Texas had its runoff. Paxton won the GOP nomination decisively in May, taking roughly two-thirds of the runoff vote. The voters spoke — loudly — and the debate now should be about strategy, not second-guessing them from far away.
What This Means for the GOP and the Senate
The practical takeaway is real. If the race stays close, national committees and donors will pour cash into Texas. That money could come out of other fights and may cost the party seats elsewhere. Republicans should plan for that reality. But they should also remember that insults and late lectures don’t win elections. Leadership needs to focus on organizing, fieldwork, and a message that wins the middle, not grandstanding from pundits in DC.
In the end, Tillis’s jab will make good copy, and it might even be a useful wake-up call on resources. But don’t pretend his critique replaces the choice millions of Texans already made. If Republicans are worried, they should get to work in Texas — not gripe about voters who did exactly what party rules allow them to do: choose their nominee. End of sermon. Now go show up at the polls or start writing those checks.
