President Donald Trump delivered a highly candid endorsement of Texas Senate candidate Ken Paxton on October 1, 2026, jokingly calling him a "pain in the ass" and "controversial" while praising his loyalty. The remarks follow leaked audio of Paxton privately complaining that Trump's Dallas midterm convention damaged his polling. Paxton faces a tough challenge from Democrat James Talarico, who leads in multiple recent polls as Republicans fight to retain the competitive Texas Senate seat.
Trump's campaign remarks endorsing Ken Paxton
- ▪Ken Paxton supported Donald Trump after the 2020 presidential election by filing a failed Supreme Court lawsuit seeking to overturn election results in several battleground states won by Joe Biden.
- ▪President Donald Trump endorsed Texas Senate candidate Ken Paxton
- ▪President Donald Trump praised Ken Paxton's loyalty, stating that Paxton stood by him more than anyone else while Trump was being targeted by the "radical left."
- ▪President Donald Trump jokingly called Ken Paxton "a pain in the ass" and "a little controversial" during his campaign stops in Denton, Texas, on October 1, 2026.
Trump's convention remarks
- ▪During the Republican midterm convention in Dallas on September 9 and 10, 2026, President Donald Trump publicly mocked Ken Paxton's dress, speech, and physical appearance.
- ▪During the Dallas midterm convention, President Donald Trump vowed to return to Texas a lot before the November 3 midterm elections to help Ken Paxton win.
Controversy over leaked Ken Paxton audio
- ▪Ken Paxton's campaign senior adviser Nick Maddux dismissed the leaked audio reporting as "manipulated nonsense," asserting that internal polling showed Paxton leading by three points.
- ▪Leaked audio published by The New York Times on September 30, 2026, captured Ken Paxton privately complaining that the Republican midterm convention in Dallas on September 9 and 10, 2026, dropped his polling numbers.
Polls showing James Talarico leading Ken Paxton
- ▪A Marist University poll of 1,139 registered voters conducted from September 17 to September 20, 2026, showed James Talarico leading Ken Paxton 50 percent to 44 percent.
- ▪A Fox News Poll conducted from September 24 to September 28, 2026, showed James Talarico leading Ken Paxton by 2 percentage points among likely voters and 7 percentage points among registered voters.
- ▪A PollsMax average on October 1, 2026, showed James Talarico leading Ken Paxton by 3.2 percentage points in the Texas Senate race.
- ▪A polling average compiled by Decision Desk HQ showed Democratic candidate James Talarico leading Republican candidate Ken Paxton 48 percent to 45 percent in the Texas Senate race.
Debatable claims
- ▪The Republican Party should prioritize candidate loyalty to Donald Trump over traditional electability
- ▪Donald Trump is a political liability for Ken Paxton's Senate campaign in Texas
- ▪Donald Trump's public mocking of his endorsees is an effective campaign strategy
Story comments
Loading comments…