Leaked audio recordings reveal Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton privately blaming Donald Trump's war in Iran and high fuel prices for his struggling Senate campaign. Paxton admitted to donors that diesel prices over $6 a gallon are driving up food costs and hurting his polling numbers against Democratic state Representative James Talarico, who leads Paxton by up to 6 percentage points. The leak exposes deep tensions as national Republicans pour millions into rescuing Paxton's campaign.
Impact of fuel prices and the Iran war
- ▪Ken Paxton stated that diesel prices exceeding $6 per gallon are driving up food prices and causing voters to feel a financial pinch
- ▪Ken Paxton stated that he has no control over gas prices or Donald Trump's war in Iran, noting that many factors in a federal race are uncontrollable
- ▪The national average price of diesel surged to around $6.50 a gallon in September 2026, driven by geopolitical conflicts in Ukraine and Iran
Polling in the Texas Senate race
- ▪A New York Times/Siena poll showed James Talarico leading Ken Paxton 51% to 45% in the Texas Senate race
- ▪A YouGov poll released on October 6, 2026 showed Democratic candidate James Talarico leading Ken Paxton by 6 percentage points in the Texas Senate race
Campaign funding for Ken Paxton
- ▪National Republican groups and super PACs have heavily funded Ken Paxton's campaign, with $122 million spent in Texas in September 2026
- ▪Ken Paxton maintains a major cash advantage over James Talarico, rolling out a $20 million ad buy in September 2026
Donald Trump's campaign rally and approval
- ▪Donald Trump was scheduled to campaign with Ken Paxton at a Republican campaign rally in San Antonio, Texas, on the evening of October 7, 2026
- ▪Donald Trump's campaign rally with Ken Paxton scheduled for Wednesday in San Antonio comes amid record-low approval ratings for Trump, with a Reuters/Ipsos poll placing his approval at 32 percent
Debatable claims
- ▪Donald Trump's policies are the main cause of Ken Paxton's campaign struggles
- ▪Aligning with Donald Trump does more harm than good for Texas Republican candidates
Story comments
Loading comments…