Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE) sat down with CBS's Margaret Brennan on Face the Nation June 7, 2026, and said something most Republicans only whisper behind closed doors.

Trump's endorsement of Ken Paxton for the Texas Senate seat was a mistake.

What Paxton Is Actually Carrying Into a General Election

As Texas Attorney General, Paxton was impeached by a Republican-controlled Texas House on multiple charges of abuse of office — including bribery. His wife Angela filed for divorce citing what she called "biblical grounds" — adultery. He was indicted in 2015 on securities fraud charges, though those were later dropped.

This is the guy Trump chose over John Cornyn — a sitting U.S. Senator, veteran fundraiser, and the man who helped elect Republicans across the country for years.

The Strategic Cost: Money and a Seat That Should Be Safe

Bacon was direct about the damage.

"John Cornyn could have won the seat easily, and now the Republicans will be spending a lot of money to hold it," Bacon said, according to the CBS transcript from Face the Nation.

Texas is deep-red territory. Republicans shouldn't need to burn campaign cash defending it. Now they do.

Bacon acknowledged one factor restraining a potential disaster: the Democratic nominee is apparently weak too. He called it a race where both sides nominated vulnerable candidates.

The Endorsement-Over-Character Problem

Brennan asked Bacon whether Trump's favor carries more weight than character for Republican primary voters.

"I think in many cases it does," Bacon replied.

A presidential endorsement is an enormously powerful tool. When it's deployed for a candidate who is impeached, indicted, and personally disgraced, it distorts the selection process.

Primary voters trusted Trump's judgment. But that trust now has consequences showing up in the general election math.

Senate Majority Math

This story centers on Senate majority calculations. Republicans hold a narrow majority. A Texas Senate seat that should be automatic is now competitive. Every dollar spent defending Texas is a dollar not spent flipping a purple state.

Bacon also used the interview to call out Trump on tariffs and voice support for Ukraine — positions at odds with the current White House. He's retiring, so he has little to lose by speaking directly.

Cornyn's Standing Within the Caucus

Bacon made clear that Cornyn has deep loyalty inside the Senate Republican caucus. Cornyn spent years as Senate Majority Whip and Senate Minority Whip. He raised money for colleagues and built relationships.

Those senators are watching Trump's endorsement sideline one of their own in favor of someone with a record that opposition researchers will weaponize through November.

The Outcome

Texas still leans Republican. Paxton could still win. But a competitive race is a long way from a safe seat.

Trump prioritized loyalty over electability, and Texas Republicans followed. Now the GOP has to spend money, time, and political capital defending a seat they never should have had to defend — because the president endorsed a guy who got impeached by his own party's legislature.