Paxton Expresses Frustration Over Campaign Control in Leaked Audio

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has expressed significant frustration over his U.S. Senate campaign, lamenting a perceived lack of control and the overwhelming influence of Washington D.C. operatives and Republican Party leaders. The remarks were made during a private fundraiser last month, according to leaked audio obtained by Politico Playbook.

"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 stated in the recording. "I don’t control message or what we’re doing."

A spokesperson for Paxton's campaign suggested that the attorney general was specifically referring to super PACs, which are legally prohibited from coordinating directly with campaigns but often play a significant role in shaping political messaging. "Campaigns don’t coordinate with super PACs, and that’s obviously what AG Paxton was referring to," said Paxton adviser Nick Maddux. Maddux added that 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."

The audio recording reportedly came from an attendee who is not supporting Paxton's campaign. The leaked comments surface as Paxton faces a challenging race against Democratic state Representative James Talarico. Recent polling aggregates show Talarico holding a narrow lead over Paxton in Texas, a state typically considered a Republican stronghold. The competitiveness of the race has reportedly caused concern among national Republican strategists, who have had to allocate substantial resources to the contest.

Paxton's campaign has also faced criticism from within the Republican party regarding his approach. Senator John Cornyn, a fellow Texas Republican, has previously commented on Paxton's perceived lack of aggressive campaigning. Additionally, former President Donald Trump, while endorsing Paxton, has publicly critiqued his attire and speaking style. Top Republican organizations, including the National Republican Senatorial Committee and figures associated with Trump's past campaigns, had initially favored other candidates over Paxton in the primary, citing concerns about his general election viability.

This is not the first time leaked audio of Paxton has surfaced recently. Last week, another recording emerged in which Paxton discussed the negative impact of a Trump-backed GOP convention on Republican numbers. "To be honest with you, the numbers — when we did that convention, it dropped our numbers. Everybody’s numbers dropped," Paxton reportedly told donors and lobbyists, according to audio obtained by The New York Times. He characterized the situation at the time as "Right now, yeah, not good."

Paxton has been a figure of controversy throughout his career, facing numerous legal and ethical challenges, including securities fraud charges, an impeachment proceeding for alleged obstruction of justice, and accusations of improper conduct related to a campaign donor. The current Senate race in Texas is considered a key battleground for control of the upper chamber.