# Ken Paxton Texas Senate campaign developments > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/ken-paxton-texas-senate-campaign-developments > Updated: 2026-10-02T00:11:18.000Z. Sources: 34. Developments: 3. Ken Paxton, the Texas Attorney General and Republican nominee for the Senate, has faced scrutiny regarding his legal history and the impact of political events on his campaign. During a Fox News interview at a GOP convention in Dallas, Paxton addressed various legal and ethical controversies, including a 2015 securities fraud indictment, 2020 accusations of bribery and abuse of power, and his impeachment by the Texas House. Defending his record, Paxton stated, “When you're fighting, they come after you,” comparing his legal challenges to those faced by Donald Trump. In late September, leaked audio reported by The New York Times suggested that Paxton privately criticized the impact of Trump’s midterm convention in Dallas. At a private fundraiser in Washington, D.C., a person believed to be Paxton reportedly told donors, “the numbers — when we did that convention — it dropped our numbers. Everybody’s numbers dropped. Right now, yeah, not good,” when asked if Donald Trump was a drag on the campaign. Paxton’s campaign has dismissed the audio as “manipulated nonsense,” with senior adviser Nick Maddux asserting that internal polling shows Paxton leading Democratic opponent James Talarico by three points. However, public polling averages, such as those from RealClearPolitics, indicate Talarico holds a lead of approximately 2.9 to 4.6 percentage points. Following the leak, Donald Trump addressed the situation during a speech in Denton, Texas. While Trump mocked Paxton’s appearance and referred to him as “a pain in the ass” and a “nuisance,” he defended his support, describing Paxton as a loyal ally who has been “at my side more than anybody” and praising him as one of the country’s best state attorneys general. Paxton, who secured the Republican primary after defeating Senator John Cornyn, continues to trail Talerico in major polls. ## Claims - Polling averages show Democratic candidate James Talarico leading Ken Paxton by approximately 2.9 to 4.6 percentage points. (disputed by 4 sources) - Ken Paxton stated at a private fundraiser that the GOP midterm convention in Dallas negatively impacted Republican polling numbers. (corroborated by 24 sources) - Paxton campaign adviser Nick Maddux dismissed the audio as manipulated nonsense and claimed internal polls show Paxton leading by three points. (corroborated by 9 sources) - During the GOP midterm convention, Donald Trump praised Paxton but also mocked his appearance and manner of speaking. (corroborated by 7 sources) - President Donald Trump publicly stated that the midterm convention helped Ken Paxton's campaign. (corroborated by 3 sources) - Former House Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry criticized Paxton, stating he was biting the hand that made him. (single source) - Former House Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry criticized Paxton, calling his remarks astronomically stupid. (single source) ## Timeline ### 2026-10-02: Ken Paxton claims Trump's midterm convention hurt his Senate campaign Leaked audio reveals Texas Senate candidate Ken Paxton believes Donald Trump’s midterm convention hurt his polling, prompting Trump to defend Paxton’s loyalty during a Texas speech. 6 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ken-paxton-claims-trumps-midterm-convention-hurt-his-senate-campaign ### 2026-09-30: Ken Paxton reportedly claims Trump’s GOP convention hurt polling Leaked audio reveals Texas Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton privately claimed Donald Trump’s GOP midterm convention negatively impacted Republican polling numbers. 29 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ken-paxton-reportedly-tells-donors-gop-convention-hurt-polling-numbers ### 2026-09-11: Ken Paxton defends legal record during Fox News interview Fox News host Bret Baier presented a list of legal scandals involving Texas Senate nominee Ken Paxton, who defended his record by comparing his legal challenges to those of Donald Trump. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ken-paxton-defends-legal-record-during-fox-news-interview --- Cite as: Ken Paxton Texas Senate campaign developments. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/ken-paxton-texas-senate-campaign-developments