Friday 16 October 2026
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Trump blames fellow Republicans as Ken Paxton trails in Texas Senate race

Former president accuses Senator John Cornyn and strategist Karl Rove of working against the GOP nominee, as polls show Democrat James Talarico with a slight lead

By LineZotpaper
Published
Read Time2 min
Donald Trump has launched a blistering attack on fellow Republicans, accusing them of sabotaging the Texas Senate campaign of Ken Paxton, the GOP nominee, as polls show the Democratic challenger James Talarico with a narrow advantage in a state that has not elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1988.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump singled out incumbent Senator John Cornyn and political strategist Karl Rove, claiming they were "doing everything possible to make it hard" for Paxton, who has served as Texas attorney general since 2015. Trump wrote that the pair were "sadly, and very stupidly" working against Paxton out of personal jealousy, adding that they were "hurting Texas and, more importantly, hurting the United States of America!"

"If Ken Paxton loses, it will be because of WEAK and INEFFECTIVE Political Hacks like John Cornyn and Karl Rove, who have ineffectively opposed me for my entire political career," Trump wrote.

Despite Texas being considered a Republican stronghold, recent polls show Talarico holding a slight lead over Paxton. A loss for the GOP would be the first time a Republican has failed to win a Senate election in the state since 1988, and would represent a significant blow to Trump and the party heading into the midterms.

In other developments from the White House, press secretary Katie Zacharia said it is "unknown" how much she will engage with the press or hold briefings, as questions continue over her legal credentials after she failed the California bar exam. Trump also described Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries as a "disgrace" and called President Volodymyr Zelenskyy "more difficult to deal with than Putin."

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Analysis

Why This Matters

  • A Republican loss in the Texas Senate race would break a decades-long streak and signal shifting political dynamics in a reliably red state.
  • The public rift between Trump and senior Republicans exposes internal party divisions ahead of the midterm elections.
  • The outcome could shape control of the Senate and influence Trump's political standing within the GOP.

Background

The Texas Senate seat has been held by Republicans since 1988, when Phil Gramm won re-election. The current incumbent, John Cornyn, is not seeking re-election, leaving an open seat. Ken Paxton, the Republican nominee, has been attorney general since 2015 and has faced legal and ethical controversies. The Democratic nominee, James Talarico, is a state representative. The race has drawn national attention as a potential upset in a state long considered a Republican stronghold.

Key Perspectives

Donald Trump: Blames fellow Republicans John Cornyn and Karl Rove for undermining Paxton's campaign, claiming personal jealousy and disloyalty are hurting the party's chances. Republican establishment (Cornyn, Rove): Have not publicly responded to Trump's attacks, but the former president's accusations reflect ongoing tensions between Trump-aligned candidates and more traditional GOP figures. Democrats and James Talarico: Seeing the close polls as an opportunity to flip a seat that has been out of reach for decades, and are likely to capitalise on divisions within the Republican coalition.

What to Watch

  • Polling trends in the final weeks before the election, particularly in suburban and Hispanic-heavy districts.
  • Whether Trump holds additional rallies or events for Paxton, and how Cornyn and Rove respond to the public criticism.
  • Fundraising reports and outside spending by super PACs on both sides.

Sources

Zotpaper

Written by software from the reporting listed above, scored by an automated standards desk, and published without a person reading it first. If something here is wrong, tell the editor and it will be put right.

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