Trump targets Texas Senate race in Corpus Christi and Lubbock

Texas has not elected a Democrat to statewide office in 32 years, a streak President Donald Trump aims to preserve during a two-stop campaign swing scheduled for Tuesday. The president will travel to Corpus Christi and Lubbock to support Republican Ken Paxton, who is facing a competitive challenge from Democrat James Talarico in the U.S. Senate race.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio will join Trump for the visit. According to a congressional aide and two U.S. officials who spoke on condition of anonymity, Rubio plans to help the president show off a newly arrived oil tanker filled with Venezuelan crude. The vessel is destined for Texas refineries. This marks the first time Rubio has hit the road with the president while he barnstorms the country ahead of the midterm elections.

This trip is Trump’s third swing through Texas since he held a first-of-its-kind midterm convention in Dallas in September. The frequency of these visits signals the weight he places on holding a state that has served as a Republican stronghold for decades. The president’s presence is designed to boost Paxton’s campaign in a state where the political environment has become difficult for his party.

Talarico has capitalized on recent political headwinds for Republicans and Paxton’s history of ethical and legal problems to make the race competitive. The Democrat plans to hold events in Midland, Amarillo, and Lubbock on Tuesday, mirroring the geographic spread of Trump’s itinerary in the western part of the state.

Rubio, who also serves as Trump’s national security adviser, is considered a top prospect for the 2028 presidential nomination. He ran for president in 2016 but has not said whether he will run again. His political activities have been limited since becoming secretary of state, making this campaign appearance a notable shift in his public schedule.

Another top Republican contender for 2028, Vice President JD Vance, has been more active on the campaign trail. He made stops in Montana and Kansas and is scheduled to swing through Michigan on Tuesday. Speaking to reporters ahead of his trip, Vance addressed Trump’s concerns about a critical Senate race in Alaska.

Trump said last week that he ordered the Department of Justice to file a lawsuit to block certification of the Alaska race if Republican Senator Dan Sullivan loses. The president has complained about a second candidate named Dan Sullivan, who Republicans fear could siphon votes from the incumbent. Vance echoed these concerns, stating that placing a person on the ballot explicitly to confuse voters is the definition of electoral fraud.