Maine Republican U.S. Senator Susan Collins says she’s “disappointed” with President Trump’s endorsement of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in that state’s GOP primary.
Paxton has been impeached over bribery accusations and has faced long-standing felony securities fraud indictments. among other issues.
Collins said Paxton is ethically challenged and that incumbent Texas Senator John Cornyn deserves to be supported.
“I don’t understand it,” Collins told reporters on Capitol Hill Tuesday. “He is an ethically challenged individual. John Cornyn is an outstanding senator and deserved, in my judgment, the president’s support; obviously, it’s the president’s call, but I’m disappointed that he did it.”
Collins’ comments come as hypothetical polling shows both Paxton and Cornyn in a dead heat with Democrat James Talarico in November’s election in Texas.
Collins says she doesn’t know who will win the Texas primary, but hopes it’s Cornyn.
“I don’t know what the primary outcome will be, despite the president’s endorsement. I still hope that John Cornyn will win. He deserves to win,” she added.
Early voting in Texas ends Friday, with a runoff between Cornyn and Paxton taking place on May 26th.
Collins is running unopposed in the Maine Republican primary and will likely face presumptive Democratic nominee Graham Platner in November.
