Paxton trails in tight Texas Senate race as Trump keeps mocking his looks
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, the Republican Senate nominee, is in a close race with Democrat James Talarico. Trump backs him while repeatedly joking about his appearance, and Reason reviews the scandals and lawsuits that define his career.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2Ken Paxton, the Texas attorney general, is the Republican candidate for U.S. Senate against Democratic state Rep. James Talarico of Austin, in what Newsweek calls the state's closest Senate race in a generation. NewsweekN “The contest has become the state's closest U.S. Senate race in a generation.” Read at Newsweek ↗ ReasonRC “His opponent, state Rep. James Talarico of Austin, has often led in the polls” Read at Reason ↗ Centre · 1Newsweek reports that most polls show Talarico ahead by 2 to 5 points. If he wins, he would be the first Democrat elected to a U.S. Senate seat from Texas since 1988. NewsweekN “Most polls show Talarico leading Paxton by 2 to 5 points”“he will be the first Democrat elected to a U.S. Senate seat in reliably red Texas since 1988” Read at Newsweek ↗ Mixed · 2President Donald Trump is backing Paxton but has repeatedly joked about his looks, dress and way of speaking. At the Republican midterm convention in Dallas he said Paxton "may not dress right," may not "talk exactly perfectly" and may not be "the best-looking guy I've ever seen," but "deserves to be your next senator." ReasonRC “He may not dress right. He may not talk exactly perfectly, and he may not be the best-looking guy I've ever seen” Read at Reason ↗ NewsweekN “he deserves to be your next senator. I'm sorry, Ken.” Read at Newsweek ↗
Centre · 1Newsweek lists similar remarks at a September 2 White House Rose Garden event and at a rally in Lubbock a week before Election Day. In Lubbock, Trump said of his praise for Ohio Sen. Jon Husted's physique: "Maybe I should do that with Ken Paxton, but I'm not sure your body is gonna qualify." NewsweekN “Trump repeatedly disparaged Paxton's appearance during an event in the White House Rose Garden on September 2.”“Maybe I should do that with Ken Paxton, but I'm not sure your body is gonna qualify,” Read at Newsweek ↗ Centre · 1Paxton has largely shrugged off the insults. After Trump mocked his clothes, he said on Fox News that Texas is "a relatively casual place in the summer," and that people there wear cowboy boots and a blazer. NewsweekN “Texas is a relatively casual place in the summer, and it's hot,” Read at Newsweek ↗ Right · 1Reason traces Paxton's career through repeated legal trouble. A grand jury indicted him in July 2015 on two counts of first-degree securities fraud and one count of failure to register as an investment adviser, over his promotion of the tech startup Servergy. ReasonRC “In July 2015, a grand jury indicted him on three felonies.”“he convinced investors to put hundreds of thousands of dollars into Servergy” Read at Reason ↗
Right · 1In April 2024 he reached a deal in which he would pay restitution and do community service, and prosecutors dismissed the charges. ReasonRC “He would pay restitution and do community service, and in exchange, the prosecutors ultimately dismissed the charges.” Read at Reason ↗ Right · 1In 2020 senior officials in his office went to the FBI to report what they called an improper relationship with Austin developer Nate Paul. Paxton denied the accusations. The Texas House impeached him in 2023, and the Texas Senate acquitted him in September 2023. ReasonRC “Several senior officials from Paxton's office went to the FBI to report him”“That body would go on to acquit Paxton of impeachment in September 2023.” Read at Reason ↗ Right · 1His wife, state Sen. Angela Paxton, announced she was filing for divorce "on biblical grounds." He declared for the U.S. Senate after the 2015 case was resolved, and in the primary challenged incumbent John Cornyn. ReasonRC “Angela announced two years later that she was filing for divorce "on biblical grounds."”“as he made his case that he should replace Republican John Cornyn” Read at Reason ↗
Right · 1Reason says Paxton's tenure has been defined by scandals and high-profile lawsuits. He advertised that he had sued Joe Biden over 100 times, and he won large settlements from Meta and Google, though neither admitted wrongdoing. ReasonRC “He had "sued [President Joe] Biden over 100 times."”“although neither company admitted wrongdoing” Read at Reason ↗ Right · 1Reason's examples of his litigation include a 2020 attempt to overturn the election results, which the U.S. Supreme Court rejected, and suits against Beto O'Rourke's group Powered by People and the migrant shelter Annunciation House. It reports that one judge called his office's conduct in the Annunciation House case "outrageous and intolerable." ReasonRC “his attempt in 2020 to overturn the election results, which the U.S. Supreme Court rejected”“one judge called his office's conduct in that case "outrageous and intolerable."” Read at Reason ↗ Right · 1An unnamed Republican former official quoted by Reason says Paxton "constantly skirts" the law and that suing a Democratic president is "typical stuff." Paxton has repeatedly denied wrongdoing and calls his legal troubles politically motivated. ReasonRC “If he doesn't cross the line and literally break the law, he constantly skirts it.”“Paxton has repeatedly denied wrongdoing, casting his legal tribulations as politically motivated witch hunts.” Read at Reason ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- Newsweek runs a list piece on Trump's insults about Paxton's looks, set against a tight Senate race.
- Emphasis
- Trump's quotes, Paxton's casual response, polls showing Talarico ahead by 2 to 5 points, and the chance of a first Texas Democratic Senate win since 1988.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Paxton's indictment, impeachment and ethics controversies are not mentioned.
- Charged language
- “insults”
- For example
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“The president has continued to publicly insult Paxton's looks and dress sense even as Paxton remains locked in a tight race against Democrat James Talarico.” — Newsweek
Right1 outlet
- Framing
- Reason, a lean-right outlet, writes a critical profile asking whether Paxton can survive a Senate race, using Trump's remarks as a way into his scandals and lawsuits.
- Emphasis
- The indictment, impeachment, Nate Paul affair and divorce, plus lawsuits it describes as performative, and critical quotes from a Republican former official.
- Leaves out or plays down
- It gives little polling detail beyond saying Talarico has often led.
- Charged language
- “survivor”“witch hunts”“performative blunt instrument”
- For example
-
“What Paxton may lack in stage presence, he makes up for in a willingness to use his office as a performative blunt instrument.” — Reason
What every side reports
- Paxton is the Republican Senate candidate in Texas against Democrat James Talarico.
- Trump supports Paxton while publicly joking that he doesn't dress, talk or look the part.
- Trump made the remarks at the Republican midterm convention in Dallas.
Where accounts differ
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Whether Paxton's record shows political skill or just typical use of office
- Centre
- Newsweek relays Trump's praise of Paxton as 'the greatest attorney general in the history of Texas' and does not assess the record.
- Right
- Reason says Paxton survives through branding and using his office as a 'performative blunt instrument.' A Republican former official calls the lawsuits 'typical stuff.'
Ken Paxton person
Paxton denies wrongdoing and calls his legal troubles politically motivated. He brushed off Trump's remarks on his clothing as reflecting Texas's casual summer dress.
“Paxton has repeatedly denied wrongdoing, casting his legal tribulations as politically motivated witch hunts.” — Reason
“We adjust, we wear cowboy boots, and we wear a blazer, and we're all good.” — Newsweek
Donald Trump person
Trump endorses Paxton as 'the greatest attorney general in America' while openly joking about his appearance, dress and speech.
“He's the greatest attorney general in America, and he deserves to be your next senator.” — Newsweek
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre1 article
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5 Insults Trump Has Aimed at Ken Paxton's Looks During Election Campaign
Neutral A quote-driven list of Trump's jibes at Paxton's looks, with race context and Paxton's reply.
Right1 article
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ReasonRC ·
Ken Paxton Survived Indictment, Impeachment, and Scandal. Can He Survive a Senate Race?
Critical A profile questioning whether Paxton's survival of scandal translates to a Senate win, treating his lawsuits as branding.
- 27 Oct 10:15 First ReasonRC Ken Paxton Survived Indictment, Impeachment, and Scandal. Can He Survive a Senate Race?
- 28 Oct 13:29 +27h 14m NewsweekN 5 Insults Trump Has Aimed at Ken Paxton's Looks During Election Campaign
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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