Ken Paxton says ‘I don’t control messaging’ as leaked audio reveals Washington role in campaign
WASHINGTON, DC: In a leaked audio recording from a Washington fundraiser last month, Texas Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton admitted he doesn’t have much say over his own Senate campaign.
He told attendees that people in Washington are steering both the campaign’s messaging and its choice of issues. Politico obtained the recording.
Ken Paxton says super PACs control campaign
Paxton said at a fundraiser in Washington last month, "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," Politico reported, citing an audio recording it obtained of the conversation.
He said, "I don't control messaging or what we're doing," adding, "I don't have the ability to change anything . . . so I have to live with whatever I've got. So it's a challenge."
One unnamed attendee told Politico that Paxton didn't say anything about Trump explicitly, but "everybody knew who he was talking about."
Paxton campaign adviser Nick Maddux said he was referring to super PACs in the conversation: "Campaigns don't coordinate with super PACs, and that's obviously what AG Paxton was referring to," he told Politico.
This recording surfaced just as Paxton entered a high-stakes Senate race in Texas.
A New York Times/Siena University poll reported by Forbes put Democrat James Talarico ahead, with 51% of likely voters backing Talarico and 45% supporting Paxton.
Paxton wants the Republican nomination in a contest that’s grabbing attention across the country. Democrats are eyeing Texas as a possible win, hoping to shake up the usual political map.
Ken Paxton criticizes Trump’s midterm convention
Paxton, in a recording obtained last week by the New York Times from the same meeting, slammed Trump's midterm convention, telling attendees, "when we did that convention, it dropped our numbers. Everybody's numbers dropped. Right now? Yeah, not good."
Paxton was responding to someone who asked, "do you feel like he's a little bit of a drag?" though it's unclear who the person was referring to.
Paxton weighed in while Republicans in tight races dealt with President Trump’s low approval numbers. A new survey from Forbes showed Trump at 39%.
That’s put GOP candidates in a tricky spot. Some are now keeping their distance from Trump or even disagreeing with him on issues like Iran and affordability.
The Texas Senate race will be one to watch in the 2026 midterms.
The Cook Political Report lists six Senate races as toss-ups right now; two of those seats belong to Democrats. Expect close contests and a lot of attention on these battlegrounds.
