Ken Paxton’s Campaign Bolstered by Trump-Backed Donations Amid Tight Race

Ken Paxton, Texas Attorney General, has gained an additional $5 million from President Donald Trump’s main political action committee, MAGA Inc. This support aims to narrow the gap with his rival, James Talarico. A recent filing with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) reported this contribution.

MAGA Inc. has become a key supporter in a closely contested race. NPR highlights that over $94 million was spent on pro-Paxton advertisements in September alone. Newsweek reached out to Paxton’s campaign for comments.

National GOP Support Grows for Paxton

Initially, senior Republican figures voiced concerns about Paxton’s candidacy, instead favoring his opponent, incumbent Senator John Cornyn, in the primaries. The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) and Senate Majority Leader John Thune endorsed Cornyn.

Thune called Cornyn a “principled conservative.” After the primary, Thune emphasized the necessity of full support for Paxton to keep Texas under GOP control. With Trump’s endorsement, Paxton won the May primary and began receiving substantial financial backing from the GOP’s national fundraising network.

Before the recent MAGA Inc. donation, Trump’s campaign funding arm already provided $10 million to Paxton. These funds were channelled towards campaign ads through Del Ray Media, a Virginia-based firm. Elon Musk’s America PAC also contributed over $2 million to Paxton’s campaign.

The Hill reported Paxton received nearly $54 million from a group associated with the Senate Leadership Fund (SLF). SLF Executive Director Alex Latcham stated the investment underscores the GOP’s commitment to maintaining a Republican majority and defeating Far-Left candidates like Talarico.

Current Race Dynamics

This financial backing has shifted the fiscal dynamics in Paxton’s favor, despite Talarico’s earlier lead. FEC records show Talarico had $21.5 million in cash by June’s end, against Paxton’s $1.8 million.

Despite Paxton’s funding surge, he trails Talarico in voter polls six weeks before the midterms. Talarico leads in all major polls, with the New York Times noting Paxton hasn’t led since an August poll by Emerson College.

A ReconMR/Texas Pulse poll from September indicated Talarico had a 6-point lead, which was outside the margin of error. Another from Texas Southern University showed Talarico leading significantly in districts Trump previously won.

Addressing poll results on Fox News, Paxton expressed skepticism. He mentioned having internal polls indicating a different picture, acknowledging the race’s competitive nature.