Leaked audio: Paxton says D.C. controls campaign; estranged wife backs bid
Version 2: The New York Times reported that Angela Paxton, who is divorcing Ken Paxton and accusing him of adultery, is urging voters to support his Senate campaign in a new ad that does not name him; coverage of the leaked audio and the campaign’s response otherwise repeated earlier reports.
In short
Audio obtained by Politico captured Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, the Republican Senate nominee, telling a Sept. 24 Washington fundraiser that he had little control over his campaign and its messaging was “all coming … from D.C.” Paxton adviser Nick Maddux said campaigns do not coordinate with super PACs and that this was what Paxton meant, while attendees differed on whether he was referring to President Donald Trump’s team. The New York Times later reported that Paxton’s estranged wife, Angela Paxton, is urging voters to support his campaign in a new ad even as she is divorcing him and accusing him of adultery.
Read the full story 3 min read
Audio obtained by Politico captured Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, the Republican nominee for a U.S. Senate seat in Texas, telling a September fundraising lunch that he had little control over his campaign. “I’ve never been in a race where I felt less control over the campaign and, like, what issues are going to matter because it’s all coming — you know — from D.C.,” Paxton said, adding, “I don’t control message or what we’re doing.” Politico said the lunch was held Sept. 24 in Washington, hosted by Chris Brinson and Susan Hirschmann of the lobbying firm Williams & Jensen, and was attended by about a dozen people including Scott Kopple, a vice president of government relations at defense contractor BWXT. Politico said it obtained the recording from an attendee who does not support Paxton and verified it with another attendee. [ 1 , 5 ]
Paxton campaign adviser Nick Maddux told the New York Post, Guardian US, Newsweek and Fox News that campaigns do not coordinate with super PACs and that this was what Paxton was referring to. “AG Paxton is thankful for the support and knows how important Texas is to keeping the majority, which is why he’s on the ground every day talking to Texans, raising money and taking his message directly to the people, including with his statewide television buy that started over this past weekend,” Maddux said. Fox News Digital quoted an unnamed source in Paxton’s political orbit saying he appeared frustrated with a lack of control over his campaign. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
What Paxton meant is not stated in the recording. The Guardian US reported that an unnamed attendee told Politico that Paxton never explicitly said he was referring to Trump’s team controlling his campaign messaging, and that the comments came during a conversation about the national political environment. Newsweek reported that an attendee said Paxton never named Trump’s team directly but that everyone around him “understood what he meant.” In the audio cited by Fox News, Paxton also said, “I don’t control message or what we’re doing... I don’t have ability to change anything,” and “So I have to live with whatever I’ve got. So it is a challenge.” [ 3 , 4 , 5 ]
The recording surfaced in a race outlets describe as unusually competitive for Texas. Paxton faces Democratic state Rep. James Talarico, with Election Day on Nov. 3, about four weeks after the audio was reported. Fox News described the contest as one of roughly a dozen that will determine whether the GOP holds its Senate majority, and as a race to succeed longtime Republican Sen. John Cornyn, whom Paxton defeated in a primary fight. The New York Post cited the latest RealClearPolitics aggregate of polls as showing Talarico 2.8 percentage points ahead, and said some Republicans, including Cornyn, have criticised Paxton for not campaigning more aggressively, while President Trump has endorsed Paxton and also publicly mocked him on the campaign trail over his attire. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
Newsweek reported that the recording is not the first leaked audio to complicate the campaign, saying The New York Times last week published audio in which Paxton told donors and lobbyists that the Republican midterm convention in Dallas on Sept. 9-10 had damaged his numbers. The Guardian US noted that Paxton was impeached in 2023 on allegations including bribery and abuse of public trust and was later acquitted. [ 3 , 4 ]
The New York Times reported that Angela Paxton, who is divorcing Ken Paxton and accusing him of adultery, is urging Texas voters to support his Senate campaign. In a new campaign ad, the newspaper reported, she encouraged Republicans to vote for her husband without using his name, saying, “In a general election, it’s not as much about the individual players on the team. It’s about getting the whole team across the finish line.” The New York Times said she has political aspirations of her own. [ 6 ]
Why it matters
The recording puts a spotlight on how much of a statewide Senate campaign is directed by national operatives and outside groups rather than the candidate, at a moment when the contest is one of roughly a dozen that will determine whether the GOP holds its Senate majority, according to Fox News. The New York Times report that Angela Paxton is making the case for his campaign adds a personal complication in the final weeks before the Nov. 3 midterms.
Key facts
- At a September fundraiser, Ken Paxton said he had never felt less control over a campaign because the issues and messaging were “all coming … from D.C.” and that he does not control the message, according to audio obtained by Politico. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- Politico said the lunch was held Sept. 24 in Washington, hosted by Chris Brinson and Susan Hirschmann of the lobbying firm Williams & Jensen, and attended by about a dozen people including Scott Kopple of defense contractor BWXT. [ 1 ]
- Paxton campaign adviser Nick Maddux said campaigns do not coordinate with super PACs and that this was what Paxton was referring to. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- One attendee told Politico that Paxton never named Trump’s team directly, and another account said those around him understood what he meant. [ 3 , 4 ]
- Paxton, the Republican nominee, faces Democratic state Rep. James Talarico, with Election Day on Nov. 3, about four weeks after the audio surfaced. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- The New York Post cited the latest RealClearPolitics aggregate of polls as showing Talarico 2.8 percentage points ahead of Paxton. [ 2 ]
- Newsweek reported that The New York Times had published separate leaked audio last week in which Paxton said the Republican midterm convention in Dallas on Sept. 9-10 dropped his numbers. [ 4 ]
- The New York Times reported that Angela Paxton, who is divorcing him and accusing him of adultery, is urging Texas voters to support his Senate campaign in a new ad without using his name. [ 6 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Paxton made the remarks about lacking control of his campaign at a September fundraising event, according to an audio recording obtained by Politico. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- Paxton campaign adviser Nick Maddux said campaigns do not coordinate with super PACs and that Paxton was referring to them. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- Paxton is the Republican Senate nominee in Texas and is running against Democratic state Rep. James Talarico. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- Outlets describe the Texas Senate race as competitive. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
Still unclear
- What Paxton was referring to in the recording. The campaign says he meant super PACs; one attendee told Politico he never named Trump’s team directly, while another account said those around him understood what he meant.
- Whether the full recording has been released. Outlets quote the same short excerpts of the audio; no outlet says it published the whole recording.
- Polling figures in the race. The 2.8-point Talarico lead comes from a RealClearPolitics aggregate cited only by the New York Post in these documents.
- The earlier leaked audio reported by The New York Times. It is described only in Newsweek’s account in these documents and is not confirmed by the other outlets here.
- Angela Paxton’s campaign ad and her reasons for supporting Ken Paxton. This comes only from The New York Times feed summary in these documents, with no article text and no response from the Paxton campaign.
- Details of the Sept. 24 lunch in Washington. The host, attendee and recording-source details are reported only by Politico in these documents.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- The Republican midterm convention opens in Dallas; Paxton later says in separate leaked audio that the Sept. 9-10 event dropped his numbers, according to Newsweek’s account of New York Times reporting. [ 4 ]
- Paxton speaks at a lunch in Washington hosted by Chris Brinson and Susan Hirschmann of Williams & Jensen, where he says he has little control over his campaign. [ 1 , 5 ]
- Politico publishes the audio and Paxton’s remarks. [ 1 ]
- The New York Post reports the remarks and the campaign’s response. [ 2 ]
- The Guardian US reports the remarks. [ 3 ]
- Newsweek reports the remarks and earlier leaked audio. [ 4 ]
- Fox News reports the remarks and the campaign’s response. [ 5 ]
- The New York Times reports that Angela Paxton is urging voters to support Ken Paxton’s Senate campaign in a new ad. [ 6 ]
- Election Day in the Texas Senate race. [ 4 ]