Tom Sell throws support behind Ken Paxton for US Senate at Lubbock rally - Lubbock Avalanche-Journal

Sell threw his support behind Paxton in front of a hometown crowd, tying his own campaign to the attorney general's statewide run. The endorsement lands in a city that pays close attention to Texas Republican politics, given Lubbock's role as a reliable red stronghold in West Texas.

The rally didn't include specifics on policy promises or what Sell expects to gain locally from backing Paxton. What's clear is the show of unity between a hometown nominee and one of the biggest names in Texas Republican politics as the Senate campaign builds.

For people here, the endorsement matters as a marker of which lane local Republican leaders are choosing in a contested primary season. Sell's own congressional bid will likely get measured in part by who he's standing next to on stage. Paxton picks up a visible ally in a part of the state where turnout can shape statewide primary outcomes.

Two Republicans, one rally, and a clear signal about which direction Lubbock's GOP is leaning heading into next year's primary.