Photo Credit: The Texas Tribune
Texas Border Business
By The Texas Tribune
Trump’s seal of approval: Former President Donald Trump has backed embattled Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton for reelection, passing over GOP primary challenger George P. Bush to bestow the highly sought-after endorsement. Trump has teased an endorsement in the 2022 primary ever since the days before Bush, the land commissioner, announced he was challenging Paxton. Eva Guzman, the former state Supreme Court justice, has since launched a primary bid against Paxton as well.
But an earlier gauge of Trump’s political influence in Texas since he left the White House comes today in the race to replace U.S. Rep. Ron Wright, R-Arlington. Susan Wright will face off against fellow Republican Jake Ellzey in the special election runoff to replace her late husband. The former president has backed Susan Wright, a longtime Republican activist, and made a last-minute pitch for her during a telephone rally Monday night.
Ellzey, a Waxahachie state representative, has been leaning on support from former Gov. Rick Perry and U.S. Rep. Dan Crenshaw of Houston. Perry and other Ellzey supporters have claimed Trump was misled into endorsing Susan Wright. Susan Wright and Ellzey are vying to finish the term of Ron Wright, who died earlier this year after contracting COVID-19. His Republican-leaning seat touches Fort Worth and stretches southeast to more rural area
