Jesse Watters compares voting for Ken Paxton to listening to Michael Jackson

Fox News host Jesse Watters suggested that Republican voters may need to “compartmentalize” when supporting certain candidates. During an episode of ‘The Five’, Watters compared voting for Texas Senate candidate Ken Paxton to listening to the music of Michael Jackson, noting that one might ignore personal flaws or “peccadilloes” to support a specific cause or talent.

Watters’ comments followed a discussion regarding polling that showed Democratic candidates performing well in traditionally Republican strongholds. He referenced a strategy attributed to Donald Trump, suggesting that even if candidates like Paxton or Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy are personally disliked or flawed, voters are encouraged to support them regardless.

Trump has previously offered mixed commentary on Paxton, praising his work as Texas Attorney General while simultaneously criticizing his appearance and personality. Watters also drew comparisons to O. J. Simpson and the hiring practices of NFL owners to illustrate his point about prioritizing performance over personal charisma or controversy.