Key facts
- Trump accused John Cornyn and Karl Rove of working against Ken Paxton.
- Paxton is running against Democrat James Talarico for a Texas Senate seat.
- Trump called Paxton "a pain in the ass" at a Texas event.
President Donald Trump is publicly criticizing fellow Republicans, including Senator John Cornyn and strategist Karl Rove, for allegedly hindering his endorsed candidate, Ken Paxton, in the Texas Senate race. Trump posted on Truth Social Thursday that Cornyn and Rove are actively working to make it harder for Paxton to defeat Democratic challenger James Talarico. Trump stated that if Paxton loses, it would be due to these "WEAK and INEFFECTIVE Political Hacks." Earlier on Thursday, Trump also jokingly referred to Paxton as "a pain in the ass" during remarks at a truck factory in Denton, Texas. Paxton, who is running for a Senate seat, has seen his poll numbers fluctuate, with recent surveys showing a tight contest against Talarico. Paxton's campaign has dismissed some media reports as "manipulated nonsense," claiming their internal polling shows a lead.