U.S. Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R) is facing a competitive Republican primary as Sen. Ted Cruz (R) endorsed his challengers, state Rep. Steve Toth (R), escalating an already combative intra-party contest.
Sen. Cruz praised Toth's record in the Texas House, calling him a defender of "liberty, limited government, and constitutional governance," and highlighting his support for school choice and fiscal restraint.
I am proud to endorse @SteveTothTX for Congress in Texas’s 2nd Congressional District.
Steve faithfully served the people of Texas in the Texas House of Representatives, championing our Texas values of liberty, limited government, and constitutional governance.
Steve is an… pic.twitter.com/tRlt8E8L7y
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) February 24, 2026
The endorsement marks Toth's most prominent backing to date and places Cruz squarely in opposition to a sitting Republican member of Congress from his own state.
Rep. Crenshaw, a four-term incumbent, does not carry an endorsement from President Donald Trump. That absence has become a central line of attack for Toth and his allies, who have accused Crenshaw of drifting from the party's base on issues including immigration and U.S. support for Ukraine.
Crenshaw has rejected those claims, forcefully defending his conservative credentials.
In a recent interview with the Houston Chronicle editorial board, Crenshaw dismissed allegations that he is insufficiently aligned with the MAGA movement, arguing that his record and public statements demonstrate consistent support for Trump-era policies.
"If you think I'm not MAGA enough, then you're not following me," said Crenshaw, adding that he has defended conservative policies "in extremely hard places."
The contest reflects broader tensions within Texas Republican politics, where ideological tests and loyalty to national figures have increasingly shaped primary battles. With Cruz's endorsement, the race has become a fight over the direction of the party, and whether experience in Congress or alignment with the party's most energized factions will carry more weight with GOP voters.
