Trump Makes High-Profile Corpus Christi Stop Ahead of Texas GOP Primary
By James Morley III | Tuesday, 24 February 2026 02:22 PM EST
President Donald Trump is set to travel to Corpus Christi, Texas this week, according to official sources. The visit occurs just days before the state’s Republican primary and during the final stretch of early voting.
Trump has endorsed numerous GOP candidates in Texas this cycle with the goal of influencing key down-ballot races and reinforcing his standing within the party. Notably, he has not weighed in on the Republican Senate primary race.
State Rep. Stan Gerdes of Smithville underscored the political timing in a social media post announcing a scheduling change tied to Trump’s visit: “President @realDonaldTrump is coming to Texas this Friday! This means we’re SHIFTING our Lockhart rally with Governor @GregAbbott_TX to 8:30 AM — bright and early for maximum impact on the last day of early voting! Come out strong, bring your friends & family, and let’s make sure Texas stays RED!”
The primary season has drawn heightened attention amid a notable surge in early voter turnout among Democrats. According to data from the Texas Secretary of State, nearly 483,000 Democrats had cast early ballots by Sunday, marking an increase of more than 211,000 compared with the same point in 2022.
Democratic turnout at this stage also far exceeds that seen during the 2024 presidential primary, when 257,680 Democrats voted. Republican early voting stands at approximately 446,000 ballots so far, about 6,000 more than in the same period of 2022. However, GOP participation is running slightly behind the pace of the 2024 presidential primary, when more than 522,000 Republicans cast ballots by this stage.
Trump’s appearance in Corpus Christi is expected to energize supporters in South Texas, where Republicans have made significant gains in recent election cycles and are seeking to expand their coalition. Several contested GOP primaries, including legislative and congressional races, have become flashpoints between establishment-aligned incumbents and challengers backed by grassroots conservatives who have secured Trump’s endorsement.
