Ken Paxton says Trump-led convention hurt his Senate bid

Republican leaders hoped the Dallas midterm convention would lift the party’s candidates, but Senate candidate Ken Paxton says it had the opposite effect. In a Washington, D.C., fundraiser a short audio clip captured Paxton stating that the convention caused a drop in his numbers, a claim later. Three people familiar with the gathering corroborated Paxton’s attendance and his negative assessment of the event, while the recording’s source was an opponent of the candidate.

Paxton’s senior adviser, Nick Maddux, called the tape a manipulation and cited a poll from the prior week showing Paxton leading his opponent by three points. The convention cost roughly $50 million and featured nightly speeches by Donald Trump and the vice president, yet overall GOP poll figures did not move. The episode highlights tension between Trump and Texas Republicans, with the president previously praising Paxton’s legal work while also criticizing his public speaking.