Ken Paxton Reveals The Real Reason His Senate Numbers Are Dropping
Ken Paxton privately told donors that the Republican midterm convention in Dallas hurt his Senate race numbers. This admission comes just weeks before the general election in Texas. The candidate himself admitted the event caused a drop in support for his campaign. Audio recordings from a private fundraiser in Washington, D.C. captured these candid remarks. The New York Times obtained the audio and shared it with the public. Paxton stated that the numbers dropped for everyone, not just him. He admitted that during the convention, the figures declined. Everybody’s numbers dropped. Right now, yeah, not good, Paxton reportedly said.
The event took place on September 24. Susan Hirschmann and Chris Brinson, who are Republican lobbyists, organized the event. The Texas Attorney General was speaking to a small group of conservative donors. He answered a question about whether President Trump was a “drag” on his candidacy. His response was blunt and direct to the people paying for his campaign. The New York Post reported that Paxton told the gathering the convention hurt his standing.
Paxton’s team immediately rejected the story as fake news created by the media. Nick Maddux, a senior adviser, described the report as “more manipulated nonsense from The New York Times to create a story that doesn’t exist”. The campaign insists that their internal data tells a different story than the leaked audio. Maddux pointed to a poll from the last week showing a lead. He said, “Our latest poll from the last week has Ken Paxton leading by three points, and every serious pollster will tell you that our numbers have improved since early September,” Maddux said.
The adviser also emphasized the candidate’s loyalty to the President despite the private comments. He stated, “Ken Paxton is going to win this race, and he looks forward to closing strong alongside President Trump including when he comes to Texas this week,” Maddux said. This creates a clear disconnect between what the candidate told donors and what his staff tells the press. The campaign did not respond when asked if they claimed the audio was manipulated. ABC News noted that three other people confirmed Paxton was at the fundraiser.
External data suggests the race remains very tight between the two candidates. The incumbent Senator John Cornyn has not backed Paxton after a bitter primary fight. This leaves the field open for the Democratic challenger, State Rep. James Talarico. A recent ReconMR Texas Poll found that 49 percent of likely voters support Talarico. Only 43 percent said they would vote for Paxton if the election were held today. According to The Washington Examiner, the general election begins in under five weeks.
President Trump is scheduled to visit Denton, Texas, this Thursday to tour a factory. He previously mocked Paxton’s appearance while endorsing him during the convention. Despite the praise, the private conversation suggests the candidate feels the political cost was too high. Sen. Tim Scott called Paxton “just wrong” for suggesting the President was a drag on the race. Scott argued that the convention boosted enthusiasm across the country. The final vote will decide if that enthusiasm translates into a win for the Republican nominee.