Texas Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton told donors at a private fundraising event last week that President Donald Trump’s recent midterm convention in Dallas negatively impacted his political standing, according to audio obtained by The New York Times.
In the recording, an individual believed to be Paxton is asked whether Trump feels like a “drag” on the campaign. Although it is not explicitly clear in the audio who the questioner is referring to, the response appears to address the consequences of the convention. “So to be honest with you, the numbers — when we did that convention — it dropped our numbers. Everybody’s numbers dropped. Right now, yeah, not good,” the person identified as Paxton said.
Three other attendees confirmed to the Times that Paxton was present at the fundraiser, with two of them recounting his remarks about the GOP event. The Paxton campaign dismissed the report as “manipulated nonsense,” though when pressed by ABC News on whether the audio itself was forged, the campaign did not respond. The White House also declined to comment.
The remarks stand in contrast to Paxton’s public alignment with Trump, who endorsed the Texas Attorney General over incumbent Senator John Cornyn during the GOP primary earlier this year. During the September 9 convention at the American Airlines Center, Trump offered a mixed assessment of Paxton. While he criticized the candidate’s appearance and speaking style, he praised him as the “greatest attorney general in America” and urged support for his Senate bid.
Polling indicates a competitive race in Texas. A recent ReconMR survey found that 49% of likely voters would support Democratic candidate James Talarico, while 43% preferred Paxton, suggesting the contest remains tightly contested five weeks before Election Day.
Paxton’s comments reflect a broader sentiment among some Republican candidates who fear that Trump’s low approval ratings and voter concerns over economic prices could hinder their own prospects. Several Republicans in competitive races are increasingly calling for an end to the war in Iran, with candidates such as Iowa’s Rep. Ashley Hinson and Ohio’s Sen. Jon Husted joining the chorus.
Trump is scheduled to visit Texas later this week to deliver remarks on the economy at a truck manufacturing facility, a trip that underscores the significance of the state’s key political races as voters head to the polls.
Interesting that the campaign called it ‘manipulated nonsense’ but refused to confirm if the audio was forged. Suspicious.
The polling shows this is still extremely close. One gaffe won’t necessarily decide the Senate race in Texas.
If you lose because of a convention, maybe run a tighter ship next time? Just saying.
Wait, did he really say Trump was a drag? I thought they were tight allies. This sounds like a major strategy shift.
Classic move to blame the party establishment instead of owning his own campaign’s failures. Pathetic.