Ken Paxton caught on tape saying Trump's convention hurt his campaign
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, the Republican Senate nominee, was recorded at a private fundraiser telling donors that President Trump's midterm convention in Dallas hurt Republican polling numbers and his own campaign. The audio was obtained and published by The New York Times.
Left outlets emphasize Paxton 'trashing' or 'badmouthing' Trump behind his back, framing it as hypocritical given his public Trump support and suggesting it could damage his fundraising and relationships within the GOP.
Center outlets focus on the factual reporting of the leaked audio and Paxton's private comments that polling 'dropped' after the convention, presenting the contradiction between his public alignment with Trump and private criticism.
The New York Post frames this neutrally as Paxton's private admission that 'everybody's numbers dropped' after the convention, reporting the facts of the recording without editorial commentary.