Concerns Over Ken Paxton’s Trump Alliance Amid Senate Race
Many Texas voters express significant concern regarding Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton’s close association with Donald Trump. A recent Fox News survey indicates that Paxton, the current state attorney general, may be too closely aligned with Trump for many voters’ comfort.
At a rally in Denton, President Trump supported Paxton. Retired basketball star Dennis Rodman also attended. Despite this, the Fox News poll suggests that Paxton’s strong connection to Trump could benefit his Democratic rival, James Talarico. Winning a Senate seat in Texas—a feat Democrats haven’t achieved since 1988—would hinder Trump’s legislative plans.
The campaigns of both Paxton and Talarico were contacted by Newsweek for comments.
Fox News Poll Insights
Fox News conducted a survey involving 1,203 registered Texas voters, with 881 identified as likely voters, between September 24 and 28. The poll holds a margin of error of 2.5 percentage points.
The poll shows Talarico leading by two percentage points, gathering 51% of the vote compared to Paxton’s 49%. These results fall within the margin of error. Talarico gained robust support from self-proclaimed Democrats, unlike Paxton with Republicans. Among Democrats, 99% backed Talarico, while only 1% supported Paxton. Among Republicans, 90% planned to vote for Paxton, and 10% preferred Talarico.
Paxton faces challenges with Republicans not identifying as MAGA, with 22% supporting Talarico. Meanwhile, 96% of MAGA Republicans favor Paxton.
Voter Concerns About Trump Alliance
The poll found that 51% of respondents felt “extremely” or “very” concerned about Paxton’s ties to Trump. Among non-MAGA Republicans, 39% shared this concern. However, 61% were “not very” or “not at all” troubled by the connection. Only 10% of MAGA Republicans expressed worry about this relationship.
Additionally, 63% of Texan voters reported that Trump’s influence was “extremely” or “very” important in their Senate vote decision, with 36% indicating it was less important.
This aligns with a Big Data Poll from late September, where Talarico received support from 15% of Trump voters compared to Paxton’s 4.2% from Harris voters.
Trump’s Rally Remarks
At the Denton rally, Trump praised Paxton’s loyalty, saying he was a consistent ally. Critiquing Talarico, Trump described him as unsuitable for Texas. Trump emphasized the difficulty in securing votes but expressed confidence in victory.
Leaked Audio Incident
The New York Times released audio allegedly capturing Paxton speaking to donors about Trump’s negative impact on his campaign. Paxton reportedly acknowledged a dip in poll numbers post-convention. A senior advisor dismissed the audio as manipulated nonsense.
Candidate Controversies
Paxton won against Senator John Cornyn in a Republican runoff, aided by Trump. Cornyn criticized Paxton, branding him dishonest and declared he won’t support him in the future.
Impeachment Background
Paxton faced impeachment by the GOP for alleged misconduct. The Texas Senate acquitted him, though he consistently denied any wrongdoing.
Religious and Policy Differences
Talarico has received criticism for statements about gender and religion. His campaign supports an “AI Dividend,” sharing AI profits with citizens. Meanwhile, Paxton advocates for restrictions on Chinese tech in U.S. data and child safety in AI.
On cannabis, Talarico backs legalization, saying restrictions favor drug cartels. Paxton has opposed city efforts to decriminalize marijuana, emphasizing law adherence.
Recent Polling Trends
In recent weeks, polling gives Talarico a narrow edge, often within the margin of error. Rasmussen Reports placed him 1% ahead of Paxton. Another poll showed a five-point lead for Talarico.
As of early October, prediction markets showed Talarico with a 62% chance of winning the seat.