NowWire · AI-assisted reporting summary · October 1, 2026 UTC
Republican operative Scott Jennings publicly admonished Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton after leaked audio surfaced from a private fundraiser. In the recording obtained by The New York Times, Paxton told donors and lobbyists that a recent midterm convention held by President Donald Trump dropped political numbers for the GOP. [1] [2]
The Paxton campaign dismissed the audio as manipulated nonsense, though they did not directly respond when asked if they were formally claiming the recording was altered. Three other attendees confirmed Paxton's presence at the event, with two recalling his remarks about the convention. Meanwhile, Jennings noted that Paxton still relies heavily on Trump's endorsement, voters, and party resources in his tight race against Democratic state Representative James Talarico. [1] [2]
Sources
- Scott Jennings Admonishes Republican Candidate Caught Criticizing Trump: ‘Keep It To Yourself’ — 2026-10-01T04:45:45Z
- Ken Paxton heard saying Trump's GOP midterm convention hurt him: Report — 2026-09-30T18:34:44.000Z