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Ken Paxton Texas Senate campaign developments

Updated 3 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

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2026-10-01 16:40 UTC → 2026-10-03 20:25 UTC · added removed

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. The remarks drew criticism from Republican former House Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry, who described Following the comments as “astronomically stupid.” The incident occurs as leak, Donald Trump remains addressed the situation during a vocal supporter 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, despite occasionally mocking his appearance during public appearances. who secured the Republican primary after defeating Senator John Cornyn, continues to trail Talerico in major polls.

Versions

  1. 2026-10-03 20:25 UTC Ken Paxton Texas Senate campaign developments
  2. 2026-10-01 16:40 UTC Ken Paxton Texas Senate campaign developments
  3. 2026-10-01 16:40 UTC Ken Paxton Texas Senate campaign developments
  4. 2026-09-30 22:25 UTC Ken Paxton Texas Senate campaign developments

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