Texas AG Ken Paxton vents frustration at DC sway over Senate bid: I dont control message
WASHINGTON — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has been caught on leaked audio raging against the state of his Senate campaign, griping DC operatives and top GOP party honchos have more influence over it than he does.“I’ve never been in a race where I felt less control over the campaign and, like, what issues are going to matter because it’s all coming — you know — from DC,” Paxton vented at a fundraiser last month, according to audio released by Politico Playbook on Monday.“I don’t control message or what we’re doing.”When asked about the audio, an official for the Paxton campaign claimed that the AG was expressing frustrations with super PACs, which have dominated messaging during the Senate race.“Campaigns don’t coordinate with super PACs, and that’s obviously what AG Paxton was referring to,” Paxton adviser Nick Maddux told The Post.“AG Paxton is thankful for the support and knows how important Texas is to keeping the majority, which is why he’s on the ground every day talking to Texans, raising money and taking his message directly to the people, including with his statewide television buy that started over this past weekend,” Maddux said.The audio tape came from an attendee who isn’t backing Paxton, according to Politico.Paxton’s frustration comes as he faces a brutally tough race against Democratic state Rep.James Talarico in what has become a pivotal match-up for Republicans.Talarico currently has a 2.8 percentage point edge over Paxton, according to the latest RealClearPolitics aggregate of polls.
The competitive nature of the race has frustrated operatives in DC because Texas is a red state and they’ve been forced to divert tens of millions of dollars to it.Some Republicans, such as Paxton’s former primary rival, Sen.John Cornyn (R-Texas), have knocked him for not campaigning more aggressively.
President Trump has publicly mocked Paxton over his attire — which has included wrinkled pants, untucked t-shirts a...