Republican leaders fret over scandal-tainted Texas Senate nominee Ken Paxton
Texas GOP insiders are uneasy about Senate candidate Ken Paxton, whose legal troubles and weak fundraising have sparked doubts about his electability.
Republican operatives at both state and national levels have expressed frustration with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, the party’s Senate nominee. Paxton, who survived an impeachment and remains under investigation, is viewed as a weak candidate compared to the well-funded Democrat James Talarico. His fundraising trail is short, and party leaders had preferred incumbent Senator John Cornyn, who enjoys broader donor networks and less baggage.
Karl Rove warned that only a substantial cash injection from President Donald Trump could keep Paxton competitive, especially as other GOP Senate races also vie for limited resources. The GOP must decide whether to invest heavily in a costly Texas market or redirect money to contests with cheaper media landscapes. The outcome could determine whether Republicans retain a Senate seat in a state that has not elected a Democrat since 1988.
Why it matters
The GOP’s handling of Paxton’s candidacy could affect control of the U.S. Senate and set a precedent for backing scandal-plagued nominees.
How this story developed
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- Sep 3 Jeffries has not yet met individually with Golden and Gluesenkamp Perez.
- Sep 3 Trump advisers have begun actively lobbying to limit escalation of the Iran war before the midterm elections.
- Sep 3 USDA announced plans to fund small and midsize meat‑packing operations.
- Sep 3 During a White House briefing, JD Vance said there is no active shooting between U.S. and Iranian forces and described the hostilities as limited flare-ups. He cited past strikes that destroyed Iran’s nuclear facilities and defense industry but refused to set a date for ending the conflict, noting the U.S. must continue protecting commercial shipping. The remarks came after President Donald Trump dismissed recent Iranian attacks as a "love tap" and warned of further strikes.
- Sep 3 Ofgem announced a 4% increase to the UK energy price cap.
- Sep 3 Republican Senator Thom Tillis publicly called on President Donald Trump to remove Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, citing what he described as incompetent leadership at the Pentagon.
- Sep 4 Vance announced the U.S. will not negotiate with Iran until attacks on commercial shipping cease.
- Sep 4 Iran has begun testing methanol as an oxygenate in its gasoline blend.
- Sep 4 US retail diesel rose to a record, threatening to further spike energy-driven inflation as wars in Iran and Russia roil the market.
- Sep 4 Vance is slated to speak on inflation and Iran at his first press briefing since July.
- Sep 4 The Security Council is set to vote on extending the sanctions expert panel on September 17.
- Sep 5 U.S. forces hit launchers on Larak Island and Iran fired ballistic missiles at U.S. sites in Jordan and the United Arab Emirates.
- Sep 5 Tillis posted his demand for Hegseth’s removal on X.
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