Texas Republican Senate nominee Ken Paxton told donors at a private fundraiser last week that President Donald Trump’s midterm convention in Dallas earlier this month had damaged him politically, according to audio obtained by The New York Times.
In the recording, a person identified as Paxton appears to be asked, “Do you feel like he’s a little bit of a drag?” The audio does not make clear whom the questioner was referring to.
“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,” the person identified as Paxton responds.
Three others familiar with the event confirmed to The New York Times that Paxton attended the fundraiser. Two of them separately recalled hearing his comment about the Republican midterm convention.
The Paxton campaign rejected the report as “manipulated nonsense.” Asked by ABC News whether that statement meant the campaign believed the audio had been altered, the campaign did not respond.
ABC News also sought comment from the White House but received no response.
Paxton’s remarks stand out because of his close alignment with Trump, who endorsed him ahead of the Texas Senate runoff earlier this year. Trump supported Paxton over incumbent Sen. John Cornyn in the Republican primary.
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The Texas Senate contest remains competitive, according to a recent ReconMR Texas Poll. Among likely voters, 49% said they would support Democratic candidate James Talarico if the election were held today, while 43% backed Paxton.
At the Republican midterm convention, Trump both praised Paxton and poked fun at his appearance.
“He may not dress right, he may not talk exactly perfectly, and he may not be the best-looking guy I’ve ever seen. But you know what he is? He’s the greatest attorney general in America, and he deserves to be your next senator,” Trump said in early September.
Paxton’s assessment of the convention reflects broader concerns among some Republican candidates that Trump’s low approval ratings and voter anxiety over prices could become political liabilities in their own races.
Several Republicans competing in closely fought statewide and federal contests have joined increasing calls within the party to end the war in Iran. Among them are battleground Senate candidates Rep. Ashley Hinson of Iowa and Sen. Jon Husted of Ohio.
Trump is scheduled to visit Texas later this week to deliver economic remarks at a truck manufacturing company. The trip comes five weeks before Election Day, as the state remains home to several pivotal races.
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