A Republican working on Ken Paxton's Senate race accused John Cornyn and Karl Rove of working against the campaign. Cornyn's camp denies it.
- Five audio leaks have come from one September 24 Paxton fundraiser.
- 46% to 43%: Talarico led Paxton in a September NBC5/Telemundo poll.
- $179 million in Republican ads since Sept. 1, versus $53 million from Democrats.
- Paxton beat Cornyn in the May primary after Trump endorsed him.
Why it matters: The leaks show Paxton privately calling Trump a drag on his campaign. Publicly, he says he loves the president.
- In the audio, Paxton said Trump's Dallas convention dropped his poll numbers.
- He also said of Cornyn: "He wants me to lose."
The story so far
4 steps · since Oct 10- Talarico Says He Had Flu, Dismisses Mental Hospital Rumors53 sources
- Top Paxton Aide Faces Calls to Resign Over Antisemitic PostsYou are here
- Ken Paxton Reportedly Partied in Dubai With Fugitives14 sources
- Paxton Faces New Allegations Over Donor Ties4 sourcesLatest
How 13 sources split on this story
Strong LeftLeftLean LeftCenterLean RightRightStrong Right
Political Bias
Coverage by lean% of 13 sources
13 sources · 18 articles · 62% Left coverage
Where they split: The dispute is whether Paxton's troubles stem from sabotage by party rivals or from his own record and private remarks.
Center coverage, 3 sources: The center focuses on fact-checking campaign attacks, finding Talarico's puppy-abuse claim against Paxton mostly false.
Left coverage, 8 sources: The left sees a scandal-weighed candidate whose own words contradict his loyalty claims, now blaming fellow Republicans.
Right coverage, 2 sources: The right centers Paxton's response that clipped audio misrepresents him and that his pro-Trump record speaks for itself.
What’s next: Paxton says the clips do not reflect what he meant and calls them a Talarico game. His adviser calls the Times report manipulated.
- Cornyn has pledged to back the Republican ticket without naming Paxton.
- Who recorded and leaked the fundraiser audio?
- Will Cornyn or Gov. Greg Abbott campaign for Paxton before November?
