Trump acknowledges Ken Paxton is a 'little controversial' while still backing him for Senate

WASHINGTON, DC: During campaign stops in Texas and Oklahoma this week, President Donald Trump joked about Texas Senate candidate Ken Paxton being "a pain in the a**" and admitted he is "a little controversial."

It’s rare for Trump to be this blunt about one of his top allies, especially with Election Day just weeks away. 

Trump acknowledges Ken Paxton is controversial but doubles down on his praise

“When I was being hit by the radical left very hard, harder than very few people could have withstood it, I was being hit, Ken Paxton was at my side more than anybody,” Trump said at a Peterbilt Motors Company plant in Denton, Texas, on Thursday, October 1. 

“And I have to always remember that because he could be a pain in the a** sometimes, I’ll be honest,” he added. “Is he here, by the way? Oh, there he is,  good. I didn’t even know if he's here. I don’t care!” 

During a campaign rally later in Durant, Oklahoma, the president lauded the Texas attorney general again while acknowledging that others saw him as a more contentious candidate. 

“We’re going to send Ken Paxton to the United States Senate because he is; whether you love him or don’t love him, he’s a little controversial, just slightly,” Trump said. “But whether you love him or not, he’s probably the best or certainly one of the best, but the best” attorneys general in the US. 

Trump's comments follow a rocky week for Ken Paxton's campaign

Paxton is running against Democrat James Talarico for John Cornyn’s Senate seat. Right now, the polling average from Decision Desk HQ puts Talarico ahead with 48%, while Paxton trails at 45%.

Earlier this week, Paxton drew attention during a visit to the Peterbilt plant. Leaked audio revealed him venting about how the Republicans’ midterm convention damaged his poll numbers.

“So to be honest with you, the numbers, when we did that convention, it dropped our numbers. Everybody’s numbers dropped. Right now, yeah, not good,” Paxton appeared to say in the leaked audio clip, which was obtained and reported by The New York Times.

His campaign slammed the reporting of the leaked audio, saying at the time, "This is more manipulated nonsense from The New York Times to create a story that doesn’t exist,” while suggesting Paxton’s numbers have only improved over the last month. 

Trump’s MAGA Inc super PAC has already thrown $20 million behind Paxton.

Meanwhile, some national Republicans, John Cornyn, for example, won’t touch his fundraising, put off by the scandals attached to his name. On the other side, another super PAC tied to Senate GOP leaders plans to pump in at least $100 million more.

The Cook Political Report calls the race a toss-up, and Trump’s blunt, complicated endorsement reveals just how unsettled his party feels about Paxton’s chances in a race that could tip the Senate’s balance.