Republican Senator John Cornyn of Texas, facing a tough runoff election later this month, has introduced legislation to rename a major highway after former President Donald Trump, an effort widely seen as a bid to secure Trump's endorsement. The move drew significant ridicule on social media on Tuesday.
Desperate Move in Tight Race
Cornyn, the incumbent, is in a heated battle for the Republican nomination against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. The runoff election is scheduled for May 26. A recent poll showed Paxton leading Cornyn 48% to 45%. Trump has not yet endorsed either candidate, despite promising to make a decision "maybe relatively soon" a few days ago.
With time running out, Cornyn appears to have used his senatorial power to propose renaming U.S. Route 287, which runs through Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Oklahoma, and Texas, as an interstate highway to be called I-47, in honor of Trump as the 47th president.
Cornyn's Statement
"Texas is Trump Country, and this bill cements that legacy by designating nearly 1,800 miles of open-road from Texas' Gulf Coast to the edge of the U.S.-Canadian border as I-47 to forever be remembered as Trump Interstate," Cornyn said in a statement. He also claimed the upgrade would save more than $5 billion in travel costs.
Social Media Mockery
The proposal was met with widespread mockery on social media, with many users accusing Cornyn of blatant pandering. Some comments included:
- "Someone really wants that Trump endorsement…"
- "This is just sad dude."
- "What an incredibly sad way to end a career in public service - just a complete submission to a false god who isn't even popular in Texas anymore."
- "So embarrassing for you."
- "Things are getting desperate in the Texas primary runoff, it seems."
- "This level of dickriding is so pathetic lol."
- "This will finally make it possible to easily point out cringe on a map."
- "This is the lamest attempt at pandering ever. Just stop embarrassing yourself."
- "You can name all the roads and bridges in the world after him, he's never going to love you back."
One user compared it to Hillary Clinton's infamous "hot sauce in her purse" moment, calling it "blatant and deceitful."
Cornyn's History with Trump
Cornyn has not always been so supportive of Trump. In 2023, he expressed skepticism about Trump's ability to win in 2024, saying, "I think President Trump's time has passed him by and what's the most important thing to me is we have a candidate who can actually win." This past statement contrasts sharply with his current efforts to curry favor.
HuffPost reached out to Cornyn's office for comment but received no immediate response. The runoff election remains highly competitive, and Trump's endorsement could prove decisive.
