Trump heads to Texas to campaign for Paxton Senate seat

President Donald Trump travels to Texas on Tuesday to campaign for Republican Ken Paxton in his Senate race against Democrat James Talarico. Trump is scheduled to appear in Corpus Christi and Lubbock. Secretary of State Marco Rubio plans to join him to show off an oil tanker carrying Venezuelan crude that is set to be processed at Texas refineries, according to a congressional aide and two U.S. officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity. The events mark Trump's third trip to Texas since the midterm convention in Dallas in September.

Texas has not elected a Democrat to statewide office in 32 years. Paxton's Senate race has drawn attention because Talarico has made the contest competitive, drawing on what his campaign describes as a difficult political environment for Republicans and Paxton's record of ethical and legal problems. Talarico plans events on Tuesday in Midland, Amarillo and Lubbock.

Trump spoke about the oil shipment as he left Washington. "We're going to accept a million barrels of oil, and I'm going to give it to you people to use it the way you want," he said. Rubio also serves as Trump's national security adviser. He ran for president in 2016 and is considered a prospect for 2028, though he has not said whether he will run. This marks the first time he has traveled with Trump as the president campaigns across the country.

Vice President JD Vance, another Republican mentioned as a 2028 contender, has also been on the campaign trail, making stops in Montana and Kansas. He spoke to reporters before traveling to Michigan on Tuesday. Vance also addressed the Senate race in Alaska, where Trump said last week he ordered the Department of Justice to file a lawsuit to block certification if Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan loses. "When you put a person on the ballot explicitly to try to confuse voters, I think that's the definition of electoral fraud and I don't think we should endorse it," Vance said. Alaskan voters will see "Dan S. Sullivan" listed as a registered Republican and incumbent on their ballots, while "Daniel J. Sullivan Jr." will appear without a party affiliation. Alaska's Republican election officials sought to remove the second Sullivan from the ballot, but a state court and Alaska's Supreme Court both kept him on it.

Trump is scheduled to appear in Corpus Christi and Lubbock on Tuesday.