In Washington, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has been recorded expressing his frustration over his Senate campaign. He claimed that he feels he has less control over the direction of his campaign than DC operatives and top GOP officials.
Paxton shared his sentiments at a recent fundraiser, stating, “I’ve never been in a race where I felt less control over the campaign and, like, what issues are going to matter because it’s all coming — you know — from DC.” The recording was revealed by Politico Playbook.
He further asserted, “I don’t control message or what we’re doing.”
In response to the audio, a spokesperson for Paxton’s campaign explained that he was voicing concerns about super PACs that have influenced campaign messaging.
“Campaigns don’t coordinate with super PACs, and that’s obviously what AG Paxton was referring to,” said Paxton adviser Nick Maddux.
Maddux added, “AG Paxton is thankful for the support and knows how important Texas is to keeping the majority, which is why he’s on the ground every day talking to Texans, raising money, and taking his message directly to the people, including with his statewide television buy that started over this past weekend.”
According to Politico, the leaked audio came from someone who is not affiliated with Paxton.
Paxton’s concerns arise as he competes with Democratic state Rep. James Talarico in what has turned into a crucial race for Republicans. Currently, Talarico holds a lead of 2.8 percentage points over Paxton, based on recent polling data.
The competitiveness of the race has frustrated strategists in DC, especially since Texas is typically a solidly red state. To address the challenge, they have had to allocate significant resources to this campaign.
Some GOP figures, including Paxton’s former rival Sen. John Cornyn, have criticized him for not being more proactive in his campaigning efforts.
President Trump has also made disparaging remarks about Paxton’s public appearance and communication style, despite endorsing him. He has teased Paxton regarding his casual wardrobe, describing it as less than professional.
Major figures in the party, including the National Republican Senatorial Committee, initially supported Cornyn over Paxton in the primaries, fearing that Paxton might struggle in a general election.
Paxton’s history is marred by controversies, including allegations of infidelity, an indictment for securities fraud in 2015, and an impeachment related to charges of obstructing justice, among others.
Recently, another leaked audio surfaced where Paxton expressed discontent to conservative donors about the negative impact of the Trump-led GOP midterm convention on their numbers, stating, “To be honest with you, the numbers — when we did that convention, it dropped our numbers. Everybody’s numbers dropped.”
He admitted, “Right now, yeah, not good.”
Despite his criticisms, Trump suggested that the midterm convention, referred to as “Trump-a-palooza,” had actually boosted Paxton’s campaign, maintaining that Paxton has been a competent attorney general and a key figure in the party.
