Published on: Tue, 19 May 2026 18:27:34 GMT
Original Story: Trump backs Ken Paxton in crucial Texas Republican Senate run-off – Al Jazeera

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The Center Point Daily

Your daily dose of reality, served with a side of existential dread.

Trump’s Endorsement: A Match Made in…Texas?

So, Donald Trump, the guy who once said he only hires “the best people,” is now backing Ken Paxton in the Texas Republican Senate run-off. Ken Paxton, the guy who’s basically a walking ethics violation. You know, the one who’s been under indictment for, oh, just a casual securities fraud thing since 2015? Good times. This endorsement is less about principle and more about, well, let’s just call it “transactional loyalty.” Or maybe just plain old payback. After all, Paxton was ALL IN on the “Stop the Steal” nonsense. Birds of a feather, and all that jazz.

It’s honestly breathtaking to watch the Republican party contort itself into increasingly bizarre shapes to accommodate Trump’s whims. It’s like a political game of Twister, and everyone’s about to fall over and crush each other under the weight of their own hypocrisy. I mean, remember when Republicans *used* to care about, like, law and order? Pepperidge Farm remembers.

Paxton’s Checkered Past (Understatement of the Century)

Let’s just take a quick stroll down memory lane, shall we? Ken Paxton. Attorney General of Texas. Indicted since 2015. Accused of bribery (yes, *another* indictment). Impeached by the Texas House. Acquitted by the Texas Senate (barely, and with a lot of help from his friends). And now, basking in the warm glow of Trump’s endorsement. You can’t make this stuff up, folks. Well, you *could*, but reality is already stranger than fiction these days.

And don’t forget, this is the same Ken Paxton who sued to overturn the 2020 election results. The same one who was, shall we say, *enthusiastically* onboard with every conspiracy theory that floated his way. So, yeah, Trump endorsing him makes perfect sense. In a totally twisted, upside-down kind of way.

Trump’s Shifting Sands of “Loyalty”

Remember back in 2016, when Trump was all about “draining the swamp”? He railed against career politicians, special interests, and the “establishment.” He promised to bring in fresh faces, outsiders who weren’t beholden to anyone but the American people. Fast forward to 2024, and he’s endorsing a guy who *embodies* everything he supposedly stood against. Paxton *is* the swamp. He’s been swimming in it for years, probably wearing designer waders.

It’s not just Paxton, either. Think about all the other folks Trump has embraced who, just a few years ago, were considered pariahs. The truth is, Trump’s definition of “loyalty” is pretty simple: Are you willing to kiss the ring? Are you willing to parrot his talking points, no matter how absurd? Are you willing to throw your own principles (if you have any) out the window in service of the Great Leader? If the answer is yes, then welcome aboard! If not… well, you’re probably about to get a mean tweet.

The Bigger Picture: What This Means for Texas (and the Country)

So, what does this endorsement *mean*, beyond the obvious spectacle of it all? Well, it signals a continued embrace of extremism within the Republican party. It tells anyone thinking of challenging Trump’s grip on the party that fealty is the only path to success. And it reinforces the idea that ethical considerations are, at best, secondary to political expediency.

For Texas, it means that a guy who should probably be spending his days in a courtroom (or, you know, maybe even jail) could end up with even *more* power. It’s a grim reminder that in the current political climate, anything is possible. Even the seemingly impossible. And for the rest of us, it’s just another day in the slow-motion train wreck that is American politics.

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