(../../../favicon.ico)  (../../../../am12.mediaite.com/med/cnt/themes/m2019/images/icon-192x192.png) (../../../../am12.mediaite.com/med/cnt/themes/m2019/images/icon-192x192.png) Ken Paxton Says DC 'Controls' His Campaign in Shocking Audio     (index.html)                     (oEmbed (JSON)) (https://www.mediaite.com/wp-json/oembed/1.0/embed?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mediaite.com%2Fmedia%2Fnews%2Fnew-leaked-audio-nails-ken-paxton-privately-griping-that-he-doesnt-control-his-own-campaign%2F)  (oEmbed (XML)) (https://www.mediaite.com/wp-json/oembed/1.0/embed?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mediaite.com%2Fmedia%2Fnews%2Fnew-leaked-audio-nails-ken-paxton-privately-griping-that-he-doesnt-control-his-own-campaign%2F&format=xml)  (../../../../am11.mediaite.com/med/cnt/plugins/seotech-tagipedia/css/related-posts.css@ver=7.1.2.css)  (https://www.mediaite.com/wp-json/)  (JSON) (https://www.mediaite.com/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/5764418)  (RSD) (https://www.mediaite.com/xmlrpc.php?rsd)   (http://mediaite.com/a/eispz)  (http://mediaite.com/a/zmces)   (https://am11.mediaite.com/med/cnt/themes/m2019/js/min/min.js?2608141810) (https://am13.mediaite.com/med/cnt/themes/m2019/fonts/dmserif-700.woff2?2505151140) (https://am11.mediaite.com/med/cnt/themes/m2019/fonts/dmserif-700i.woff2?2505151140) (https://am14.mediaite.com/med/cnt/themes/m2019/fonts/roboto-500.woff2?2505151451) (../../../../am11.mediaite.com/med/cnt/themes/m2019/css/min/crit-main.min.css@2609151457.css) (../../../../am11.mediaite.com/med/cnt/themes/m2019/css/min/crit-main.min.css@2609151457.css) (../../../../am13.mediaite.com/med/cnt/themes/m2019/css/min/def-main.min.css@2512171801.css) (../../../../am13.mediaite.com/med/cnt/themes/m2019/css/min/def-main.min.css@2512171801.css)   (comScore)     (index.html#wrap) Skip to main content      Manage Subscription Sign in ! 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The shocking clip, revealed on Monday, was recorded during a small fundraiser in September. It comes less than 30 days before the midterms, where Paxton is facing (https://www.mediaite.com/politics/new-texas-senate-poll-shows-talarico-clobbering-paxton-in-districts-trump-won-by-double-digits/) an uphill battle against Democrat James Talarico in the deep-red Lone Star State. “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 says in the clip. The audio was captured by an attendee who admitted to the outlet that he does not support Paxton. “I don’t have ability to change anything,” Paxton went on. “So I have to live with whatever I’ve got. So it is a challenge.” While Politico notes via an anonymous source that Trump or the White House was mentioned by name as those controlling his campaign, “everybody knew what he was talking about.” The Politico report comes days after Paxton was heard saying President Donald Trump’s Texas midterm convention hurt him more than it helped in another leaked clip (https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/30/us/politics/ken-paxton-trump-midterm-convention.html) obtained from the same event by The New York Times . “Do you feel like he’s a little bit of a drag?” Paxton is asked. “So to be honest with you, the numbers — when we did that convention — it dropped our numbers,” Paxton replied. “Everybody’s numbers dropped. Right now, yeah, not good.” Similarly to Politico, an anonymous attendee of the fundraiser opposed to Paxton’s candidacy gave The Times the audio. Paxton (https://www.mediaite.com/media/news/breaking-ken-paxton-steamrolls-john-cornyn-after-snagging-trump-endorsement/) emerged as the Republican candidate in May after (https://www.mediaite.com/media/news/breaking-trump-endorses-ken-paxton-in-texas-gop-primary/) securing an endorsement from Trump, who snubbed incumbent John Cornyn . Trump intervened in the race over the objections of many in the party establishment — who worried Paxton’s various corruption and infidelity scandals would plague him in the general election and put a safe Senate seat in play. And those fears seem to be playing out. Despite the president’s backing, Paxton has failed to hold off Talarico in recent polls, putting Republicans at risk of losing a Senate race in reliably-red Texas for the first time in 38 years. —— New: The Mediaite One-Sheet "Newsletter of Newsletters" Your daily summary and analysis of what the many, many media newsletters are saying and reporting. 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