These comments follow a New York Times report on leaked audio from a Washington fundraiser of about a dozen people, where Paxton claimed the event caused polling numbers for all candidates to drop. Prediction market Kalshi subsequently lowered Paxton's chance of winning the Senate seat to 34%. While Senator John Cornyn of Texas reacted to the leak by saying "Whoops," Vice President JD Vance stated the administration would help Paxton win a race he described as tough and difficult.
Tuesday, October 20, 2026
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Trump Defends Texas Strategy After Paxton Win Odds Hit 34%
US Politics19 days ago
The Republican ticket is doubling down on its efforts to secure a Senate seat in Texas despite recent polling declines for its lead candidate. Donald Trump told reporters he is continuing his visits to the state because winning the election is the priority, regardless of whether former Attorney General Ken Paxton believes a prior GOP event was a drag on his numbers. Trump described the midterm convention in Dallas as a "tremendous success," citing 107 million views compared to 24 million for the NFL.
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