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President Donald Trump is expected to travel to Corpus Christi, Texas, this week, according to officials who spoke with The Texas Tribune on Tuesday, marking a prominent appearance days before the state’s Republican primary.
The visit comes during the final stretch of early voting, as several competitive GOP contests draw heightened attention across Texas.
President Trump has endorsed a number of Republican candidates in Texas this election year, seeking to shape key down-ballot races and reinforce his influence within the party. He has, however, not issued an endorsement in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate.
The state’s Senate race, a high-profile three-person contest between incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Rep. Wesley Hunt, has been a major focus in the Lone Star State.
“I just haven’t made a decision on that race yet. It’s got a ways to go, and I haven’t,” the president said last week. “I like all three of them, actually. Those are the toughest races. They’ve all supported me. They’re all good. You’re supposed to pick one, so we’ll see what happens. But I support all three.”
The primary season has drawn significant attention amid a surge in early voting, particularly among Democrats.
Data from the Texas Secretary of State shows that nearly 483,000 Democrats had cast early ballots in person or by mail as of Sunday, an increase of more than 211,000 compared with the same point in the 2022 primary. Democratic turnout at this stage also exceeds participation during the 2024 presidential primary, when 257,680 Democrats had voted.
Republican early voting totals stand at about 446,000 ballots, roughly 6,000 more than at the same point in the 2022 primary. However, GOP turnout trails the 2024 presidential primary pace, when more than 522,000 Republicans had cast early ballots by this stage.
President Trump’s appearance in Corpus Christi is expected to mobilize supporters in South Texas, a region where Republicans have gained ground in recent election cycles and are working to expand their base.
Several contested GOP primaries, including legislative and congressional races, have become battlegrounds between incumbents aligned with party leadership and challengers supported by grassroots conservatives, some of whom have received President Trump’s endorsement.
