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    "original_url": "https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2026\/09\/30\/us\/politics\/ken-paxton-trump-midterm-convention.html?emc=edit_nn_20260930&nl=the-morning&segment_id=227287",
    "parsed_content": "The Race for CongressNational Citizenship DatabaseWhen to Vote in Your StateLatest PollsCompetitive RacesAdvertisementSKIP ADVERTISEMENTSupported bySKIP ADVERTISEMENTG.O.P. Nominee in Texas Privately Said Trump\u2019s Convention Hurt HimKen Paxton, one of the party\u2019s top Senate candidates and a Trump loyalist, said that \u201ceverybody\u2019s numbers dropped\u201d after the event, according to audio obtained by The Times.Share full articleKen Paxton, the Republican nominee for Senate in Texas, as President Trump addressed him during the second day of the Republican midterm convention in Dallas this month. Credit...Shelby Tauber for The New York TimesBy Theodore SchleiferReporting from WashingtonSept. 30, 2026, 5:03 a.m. ETSee more of our coverage in your search results.Encuentra m\u00e1s de nuestra cobertura en los resultados de b\u00fasqueda. Add The New York Times on GoogleAgrega The New York Times en Google Ken Paxton, the Republican nominee for Senate in Texas, told a group of conservative donors and lobbyists last week that President Trump\u2019s midterm convention in Dallas had hurt Mr. Paxton politically, according to an audio recording obtained by The New York Times.The recording, which is muffled at times, captures Mr. Paxton being asked, \u201cDo you feel like he\u2019s a little bit of a drag?\u201d It is not clear from the audio whom the questioner is referring to.Mr. Paxton responds: \u201cSo to be honest with you, the numbers \u2014 when we did that convention \u2014 it dropped our numbers. Everybody\u2019s numbers dropped. Right now, yeah, not good.\u201dPaxton\u2019s Private RemarksAn audio recording of comments made by Ken Paxton, the Republican nominee for Senate in Texas, that was obtained by The New York TimesListen \u00b7 33 secAdvertisementSKIP ADVERTISEMENTThe audio of Mr. Paxton was shared with The Times by an attendee who recorded him speaking at a private fund-raiser in Washington attended by roughly a dozen people. The person, who opposes Mr. Paxton\u2019s campaign and provided the recording to The Times, was granted anonymity because Mr. Paxton\u2019s remarks were private.Three other people with knowledge of the event confirmed Mr. Paxton\u2019s attendance. Two of these people recalled that Mr. Paxton had been posed this question, and one recalled his response about the negative consequences of Mr. Trump\u2019s convention.Asked about the remarks, Nick Maddux, a senior Paxton adviser, said that \u201cthis is more manipulated nonsense from The New York Times to create a story that doesn\u2019t exist.\u201d\u201cOur latest poll from the last week has Ken Paxton leading by three points, and every serious pollster will tell you that our numbers have improved since early September,\u201d Mr. Maddux said. \u201cKen Paxton is going to win this race, and he looks forward to closing strong alongside President Trump including when he comes to Texas this week.\u201dThe event was hosted last Thursday by two Republican lobbyists, Susan Hirschmann and Chris Brinson, in a conference room near Capitol Hill. They did not respond to requests for comment.AdvertisementSKIP ADVERTISEMENTMr. Paxton\u2019s comments about the convention are notable because of how closely he has aligned himself in public with Mr. Trump, who pushed for the unusual midterm gathering and ensured that much of it would serve as a celebration of his presidency. A longtime Trump loyalist, Mr. Paxton won a costly and bitter primary this year over Senator John Cornyn thanks to the president\u2019s support.Sign up for the On Politics newsletter. It's a pivotal moment for American politics. Join us for 2026 and beyond. Get it sent to your inbox.Mr. Paxton figured prominently in the convention, which was held this month in his home state. He occupied a prime seat inside the arena and used the Dallas gathering to mingle with Republican donors and raise money for his allied groups. Onstage, Mr. Trump both praised Mr. Paxton and teased him for his looks and sartorial choices.\u201cHe may not be the best-looking guy I\u2019ve ever seen,\u201d the president said, \u201cbut you know what, he is \u2014 he\u2019s the greatest attorney general in America.\u201dMr. Paxton\u2019s comments at the Washington fund-raiser echo other private whispers by Republicans that the party\u2019s convention would not be helpful, given Mr. Trump\u2019s sagging approval ratings.Since the gathering, the midterm outlook for Republicans has only darkened, leaving Mr. Paxton in a precarious position just five weeks before Election Day.AdvertisementSKIP ADVERTISEMENTHe has trailed narrowly in many recent polls to his Democratic rival, James Talarico, leaving Republicans hoping that a huge surge of spending from outside groups and Texas\u2019 traditional conservatism can carry Mr. Paxton to victory. Mr. Trump\u2019s super PAC, MAGA Inc., has joined the effort to help Mr. Paxton, throwing $20 million behind his bid.It remains unclear whether the Republican convention was in fact politically harmful to the party\u2019s midterm candidates; the event did not appear to have a significant impact on public surveys of the Texas Senate race.But one influential Republican disagrees with Mr. Paxton \u2014 and is optimistic that the gathering helped the party.\u201cThe fact that we had such a successful convention really helped Ken Paxton,\u201d Mr. Trump said a few days afterward. \u201cHe was a big part of it.\u201d He added: \u201cThe convention helped Ken Paxton a lot.\u201dAdvertisementSKIP ADVERTISEMENT",
    "published_at": "2026-09-30T09:03:21+00:00",
    "author_name": "Theodore Schleifer",
    "site_name": "The New York Times",
    "section": "U.S. Politics",
    "publisher": "The New York Times Company",
    "ai_headline": "G.O.P. Nominee in Texas Privately Said Trump\u2019s Convention Hurt Him",
    "ai_simplified_title": "Ken Paxton Says Trump Convention Hurt His Campaign",
    "ai_excerpt": "Ken Paxton, the Republican nominee for Senate in Texas, privately told donors that President Trump's midterm convention in Dallas negatively impacted his political standing. This contradicts public statements and Trump's own assessment of the event's success.",
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