Ken Paxton Defends His Republican Base as Texas Senate Race Narrows
The Texas Attorney General responded to a negative advertisement featuring prominent party figures who said they would skip his name on the ballot.
By Tariq Carter ·
Ken Paxton faces a narrow trail in the Texas U.S. Senate race, with recent polls showing his opponent, James Talarico, holding a slight lead. The contest could determine control of the U.S. Senate.
During an interview with Newsmax host Rob Finnerty on Thursday, Paxton reacted to a campaign ad from Talarico. The spot featured self-identified Republicans stating, “I’m a Republican. And I’m passing on Ken Paxton.” Finnerty asked Paxton how he responded to the criticism, noting that Karl Rove and George W. Bush’s brother and daughter supported Talarico.
Paxton questioned the length of time the individuals in the advertisement had been registered as Republicans. He stated that he did not believe those voters represented the majority of the party base in Texas.
The Texas Attorney General argued that Talarico could not prove the claims made in the advertisement. Paxton said his opponent avoided discussing their respective records in favor of alleging unproven corruption, a strategy he compared to claims made against President Trump.
This race has drawn attention from national party leaders who have expressed concern about Paxton’s standing with conservative voters. If Talarico wins the election next week, he will become the first Democrat elected to the U.S. Senate in Texas since Lloyd Bentsen in 1988.
The interview took place in a setting that Paxton’s team described as friendly territory, yet the exchange focused on the depth of his support within the Republican party. The results of the midterms will determine which party holds the balance of power in the upper chamber of Congress.
Source: HuffPost
