Paxton’s Trump Problem: Private Criticism Exposes Tensions Inside Republican Party
Texas Republican candidate Ken Paxton is facing growing scrutiny after reportedly admitting in a private meeting that U.S. President Donald Trump’s political influence may be hurting Republican candidates ahead of the November midterm elections. According to a report by The New York Times, Paxton made the comments during a private fundraiser that conservative donors and lobbyists attended in Washington last week. An audio recording reportedly captures Paxton saying that Republican candidates’ numbers fell after the Republican Party’s midterm convention in Dallas earlier in September. “When we did that convention, it dropped our numbers. Everybody’s numbers dropped,” Paxton reportedly said. Paxton’s…