Will Trump finally pick a side in Texas Senate showdown today?

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The clock is ticking toward a 5 p.m. Tuesday deadline that could determine the future of Texas' political landscape. With the Texas Republican Party having finalized its primary results, President Donald Trump becomes crucial as part of a high-stakes waiting game, as his potential endorsement for the U.S. Senate runoff hangs in the balance.

Under Texas law, candidates John Cornyn and Ken Paxton have until the end of the business day Tuesday to officially withdraw their names from the May 26 runoff ballot. If either man opts not to withdraw, their name will remain on the ballot even if they later decide to suspend their campaign.

The two Republican titans finished the March 3 primary in a virtual dead heat, with Cornyn leading Paxton by just a single percentage point. However, the race was thrown into a tailspin when Trump announced a "winner-take-all" endorsement strategy: he will only back a candidate if the other one drops out of the race entirely.

The standoff isn't just about personalities; it has evolved into a proxy war over the Save America Act. This controversial legislation would mandate proof of citizenship—such as a passport or birth certificate—to register for federal elections, alongside a national photo ID requirement.

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Earlier this month, Paxton called the act "the most important bill the U.S. Senate could ever pass," signaling he would consider dropping out if Senate leadership killed the filibuster to ensure its passage.

In a stunning reversal of his long-held stance as a "filibuster hawk," Cornyn penned an op-ed last week supporting a rules change to allow a simple majority vote for the bill.

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