Trump expected to endorse Cornyn in brutal Texas Senate runoff

The background: Cornyn and Paxton finished first and second place in Tuesday's primary, but neither reached the majority threshold to avoid a May 26 runoff. That sets the stage for a potentially bitter and expensive slog.

• Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) has for much of the last year been lobbying Trump to endorse Cornyn, arguing that he would be a stronger general election candidate than Paxton, who has endured a number of scandals during his tenure as attorney general.
• The Thune-backed Senate Leadership Fund and its affiliates have spent tens of millions of dollars in support of Cornyn.
• Trump has held off calls to endorse, saying he views Cornyn and Paxton as allies.

The Atlantic first reported the news of Trump's expected endorsement.

Between the lines: For months, Trump advisers and establishment Republicans in Texas and Washington urged the president to back Cornyn because they fear Paxton is electoral poison due to his personal and ethical problems.

• Top Republicans say the need for Trump to endorse Cornyn is greater in the wake of state Rep. James Talarico's win over Rep. Jasmine Crockett in the Democratic Senate primary.
• Republicans regarded Talarico as the stronger general election candidate than Crockett, who focused on turning out the Democratic base.

The bottom line: Neither Paxton nor Cornyn have agreed (at this point) to drop out if they miss out on Trump's endorsement.