NOT AGAIN!

Trump’s Must-Win MAGA Candidate Caught Slighting Top Republican

Ken Paxton complained about his financial struggles, even as the Texas contest became one of the most expensive in history.

MAGA candidate Ken Paxton has once again been caught on tape complaining about his campaign woes even as the race to save him becomes one of the most expensive in history.

New audio obtained by Rolling Stone captured the embattled Texas Senate candidate bemoaning his lack of money to counter Democratic attack ads, saying Republican Governor Greg Abbott is “struggling” in his reelection bid and that the GOP will likely lose seats in the state legislature.

The recording, made during a private fundraiser with donors and lobbyists in Washington, D.C., on September 24, offers another glimpse into the mounting anxiety surrounding Paxton’s bid to beat Democratic James Talarico in a race that could determine control of the Senate.

Paxton complained that his opponent had been “well-funded and well-known”, while his own campaign had not done enough “to raise more money” to counter Talarico’s attack ads.

He also appeared to acknowledge that Abbott’s financial advantage might help him survive a difficult contest against Democrat Gina Hinojosa, telling the gathering: “Yes, Abbott is struggling, but he has a lot of money.”

As for the Texas state legislature, “I don’t see it getting better because we’re going to lose some seats,” he said.

The latest leak comes as more than $500 million has poured into the Texas Senate contest, making it the most expensive contest in this cycle and the biggest spending race in Texas history.

Donald Trump has also gone to extraordinary lengths to rescue Paxton after backing him over incumbent Senator John Cornyn—despite warnings that the decision would divert resources from other vulnerable Republican seats.

MAGA influencers have also weighed in with wild conspiracy theories and lies about Talarico being discharged from an Ohio mental health facility after being absent from the campaign trail with illness.

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And JD Vance returned to Texas on Tuesday to rally the base, where he made assertions about Talarico’s sexuality in response to fans in the audience declaring they loved him.

“I love you too, sir. In a totally platonic way, to be clear. I’m the vice president, not James Talarico,” Vance said.

Trump’s September midterm convention in Dallas was also supposed to showcase the party’s strength and rally support behind Paxton. Instead, Paxton privately admitted that the event had hurt his standing.

“When we did that convention, it dropped our numbers. Everybody’s numbers dropped,” he said in audio published by The New York Times.

The repeated interventions appear to have done little to silence questions about the Republican’s prospects.

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With three weeks until election day, the final University of Texas/Texas Politics Project poll ahead of the November poll puts Talarico slightly ahead at 50 percent of the vote, compared with 47 percent for Paxton, and most voters appear to have made up their minds.

In a particularly troubling sign, the research says “independent likely voters prefer Talarico over Paxton by a large margin, 69% to 11%.”

The latest recording is the newest installment in an extraordinary series of leaks from the same Washington fundraiser.

Paxton has previously been caught blaming the Iran war and soaring fuel prices for his campaign’s struggles, complaining that Washington operatives have taken control of his race and suggesting the government should cut federal benefits.

He has also accused Cornyn, whom he defeated in the Republican primary, of wanting him to lose and complained that the GOP Senator was “clearly not helping.”

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Farrah TomazinPolitical Correspondent

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