Leaked audio: Paxton blames Iran war, fuel prices for campaign woes
In short
Audio obtained by Axios captures Texas Attorney General and Republican Senate nominee Ken Paxton telling donors and lobbyists at a closed-door fundraiser that the war with Iran, gas prices and diesel are dragging on his campaign. "It's not tariffs … it's the war, it's gas prices, it's diesel," Paxton said, adding that diesel above $6 a gallon means "people are feeling the pinch." His campaign called the reporting a "non-story," and President Trump was due to campaign with him in San Antonio on Wednesday evening.
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Audio obtained by Axios captured Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, the Republican nominee for Senate in Texas, telling donors and lobbyists at a closed-door fundraiser last month that the war with Iran, gas prices and diesel were holding back his campaign. Asked by an attendee what issues were "dragging" on his bid, Paxton replied, "It's not tariffs. ... It's the war, it's gas prices, it's diesel," according to the audio. The New York Post described the recording as the third major audio leak involving Paxton in recent days, and said it was published hours before President Trump was set to stump with him on Wednesday evening. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
Paxton, who was recorded at what the New York Post described as a private fundraising event in Washington, said high fuel costs were feeding broader price pressure. "When it's over $6 per gallon for diesel ... people are feeling the pinch," he said, adding that the cost "drives up food prices and everything else." He called affordability "by far our biggest problem" and said it was "why we're having a hard time with numbers," according to the accounts. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
When an attendee noted that Paxton does not control gas prices, the candidate said, "So many factors in this federal race are uncontrollable. I don't make the decisions, and I don't ... know what's behind some of the decisions," according to the New York Post and The Guardian US. [ 2 , 4 ]
A Paxton campaign spokesperson dismissed the reporting. "This is a non-story. The Attorney General said what every Texan already knows: gas and diesel prices are too high, and hardworking Texans are struggling at the pump and at the grocery store," the spokesperson told Axios. The Guardian US identified the spokesperson as Madison Cercy, who added that "President Trump is doing everything he can to bring prices down." The Hill said it had reached out to the campaign for additional comment. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
The recording follows other leaked audio from the same period. Axios reported that Paxton said in the same meeting that Trump's midterm convention in Dallas "dropped our numbers" and that control of the campaign was "all coming ... from D.C.," citing separate audio obtained by The New York Times and Politico. The Hill said The New York Times first leaked audio of the meeting, and the New York Post said it was unclear whether the three leaks came from the same source or were recorded at the same event. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Paxton won the Republican Senate nod by unseating incumbent Sen. John Cornyn in a May primary runoff and is running against Democratic state Rep. James Talarico. The outlets gave differing polling margins: the New York Post cited a RealClearPolitics average showing Talarico ahead by 3.1 percentage points, while The Hill cited Decision Desk HQ's average showing a 2-point lead and noted the Cook Political Report considers the race a toss-up. The New York Post also reported, citing the Texas Tribune, that $122 million was spent on the race last month. Trump was due in San Antonio on Wednesday evening for a rally with Paxton, which The Hill said would be the president's third visit to Texas in a month. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
Why it matters
The recording is an unusually direct acknowledgment from a Republican nominee that the war and fuel costs are hurting his race, at a time when his party is defending a Senate seat in Texas. Outlets frame the comments as a sign of broader Republican midterm headwinds and of Paxton's distance from decisions made in Washington. Polls cited by the outlets show him trailing Democrat James Talarico, though the two outlets give different margins.
Key facts
- Ken Paxton, the Texas attorney general and Republican Senate nominee, told donors and lobbyists at a closed-door fundraiser that the war with Iran, gas prices and diesel were dragging on his campaign. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Paxton said that when diesel is over $6 a gallon, "people are feeling the pinch," and that this "drives up food prices and everything else." [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Paxton called affordability "by far our biggest problem" and said it was "why we're having a hard time with numbers." [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- A Paxton campaign spokesperson said the comments were "a non-story" and that the attorney general said "what every Texan already knows: gas and diesel prices are too high." [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- President Trump was scheduled to appear at a rally with Paxton in San Antonio on Wednesday evening. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Paxton unseated incumbent Sen. John Cornyn in a May primary runoff and faces Democratic state Rep. James Talarico in the general election. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The leaked recording is the third major audio leak involving Paxton in recent days, according to the New York Post. [ 2 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Paxton said at a closed-door fundraiser that the war with Iran, gas prices and diesel were a drag on his Senate campaign. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Paxton cited diesel prices over $6 a gallon as a cost burden for voters. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Paxton's campaign dismissed the reporting as a "non-story" and said fuel and grocery prices are too high. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- Trump was set to campaign with Paxton in San Antonio on Wednesday evening. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Paxton defeated incumbent Sen. John Cornyn in a May primary runoff and is running against Democrat James Talarico. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- The size of Talarico's lead over Paxton in the polls. The New York Post cites a RealClearPolitics average showing Talarico ahead by 3.1 percentage points, while The Hill cites Decision Desk HQ's average showing a 2-point lead.
- Whether the three recently leaked recordings came from the same source or the same event. The New York Post states it is unclear whether the leaks stemmed from the same source or were recorded at the same fundraiser.
- The name of the US military operation in Iran. Only the New York Post calls it "Operation Epic Fury"; the other documents refer generally to "the war" or "the war in Iran."
- Who recorded or leaked the audio. The documents describe the audio as obtained by Axios and by The New York Times but do not identify the source.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Axios publishes excerpts from audio of Paxton's closed-door fundraiser remarks. [ 1 ]
- The New York Post reports the recording as the third major audio leak involving Paxton. [ 2 ]
- The Hill reports Paxton's comments and notes The New York Times earlier leaked audio from the same meeting about the Dallas convention. [ 3 ]
- The Guardian US reports the remarks, including the campaign's "non-story" response. [ 4 ]