President Trump traveled to Texas on Friday as he prepares for a high-stakes Republican Senate primary next week, where three candidates will battle for the party’s nomination in the 2026 midterm elections.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Representative Wesley Hunt (R-TX) are challenging incumbent Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) for the nomination.

Analysts predict a competitive and heated contest among the contenders.

Trump arrived in Corpus Christi earlier on Friday, with plans to deliver remarks focused on energy policy and economic issues, according to White House officials.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated: “President Trump looks forward to returning to the great State of Texas this week to discuss the economy and tout his ‘Drill Baby Drill’ agenda.”

The Republican Senate campaigns did not confirm whether the candidates were invited to the event, and the White House declined to comment on invitations or attendees.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) has warned that the Texas Senate seat held by Cornyn could flip to Democrats in November if Cornyn is defeated in the GOP primary.

Thune told reporters: “Honestly, if you look at the polling in a general election setting, I don’t think it’s outside the realm of possibility that the seat [flips], depending on who the Democrats nominate.”

The warning comes just days before voting closes as Cornyn faces off against Paxton and Hunt in the GOP primary. A runoff election will be held on May 26 if no candidate secures a majority.

Republican senators have indicated that Thune has worked behind the scenes to persuade President Trump to endorse Cornyn, but so far without success.

Cornyn’s campaign has spent $64 million defending his candidacy, while Paxton and Hunt’s campaigns have allocated approximately $24 million.

Some Republicans express concerns that Paxton, who leads Cornyn in some polls, might prove divisive in a general election, potentially alienating independents or prompting a significant Democratic turnout.

However, Republican strategists generally believe that Texas state representative James Talarico (D) would need to be the Democratic nominee for Democrats to have a realistic chance of winning against Paxton.