Yes
He is.
No
He isn’t.
Texas Republican Senate nominee Ken Paxton is facing new attention after reports surfaced about comments he allegedly made concerning President Donald Trump’s recent Republican midterm convention in Dallas.
According to reporting from Reuters, CBS News, ABC News and The Texas Tribune, Paxton was recorded during a private gathering saying Republican polling numbers had fallen following the convention. In the recording published by The New York Times, Paxton reportedly said that after the event, “everybody’s numbers dropped.” The precise person being discussed immediately before his remarks was not completely clear from the audio.
The remarks have attracted attention because Paxton has been closely aligned with President Trump. Trump endorsed Paxton in his Republican primary campaign against Sen. John Cornyn, and Trump-aligned political organizations have provided substantial assistance in Paxton’s general-election contest.
Paxton’s campaign has pushed back against the interpretation of the recording. An adviser described the story as misleading and pointed to internal polling that the campaign says shows Paxton performing strongly. Meanwhile, President Trump was asked about the controversy and said he had not heard Paxton’s comments. Trump defended the Dallas gathering, calling the convention a success and arguing that it helped other Republican candidates.
That leaves Republican voters with a larger question about disagreement inside a political party.
Candidates routinely discuss polling and campaign strategy behind closed doors. Some voters may view Paxton’s reported comments as nothing more than an acknowledgment of political realities during a difficult midterm environment. Others may believe publicly or privately criticizing an event organized around a president who strongly supported his campaign shows a lack of loyalty.
The word “traitor” is an especially strong political characterization, and Paxton has not abandoned the Republican Party or President Trump. The controversy instead centers on whether his private assessment of the convention should change how Republican voters view his loyalty to the president and the broader MAGA movement.
With the November midterm elections approaching and control of Congress at stake, disagreements like this are receiving increased scrutiny.