PoliticsKen Paxton Talks Gov. Greg Abbott's 'Struggling' Campaign in Bombshell Leaked Audio: Listen
Paxton is dealing with more leaked audio drama.
Oct. 14 2026, Published 12:50 p.m. ET
Another clip of leaked audio from Texas Senate candidate Ken Paxton finds the state's embattled Attorney General bemoaning not only the state of his race but the race of Texas Governor Greg Abbott.
The audio, taken during a private donor event and published by Rolling Stone, finds Paxton complaining that Abbott is "struggling" in his race against Democrat Gina Hinojosa despite not having to overcome the same "disadvantages" he faced.
Ken Paxton gave a stark opinion of Greg Abbott's bid for reelection.
Paxton Complains Abbott Hasn't Faced Same Obstacles
Paxton whined Abbott didn't face negative ads nor face a nationally popular opponent.
The audio was taken during a September 24 private donor meeting — the same event where Paxton complained that President Donald Trump's Republican midterm convention actually hurt struggling Republican candidates more than it helped.
In the newest leak from the meeting, Paxton said that Abbott was in a difficult fight for his seat even though “he didn’t have any primary, like I did, that was brutal with all the negative ads.”
Paxton also complained that, unlike his race against Democrat James Talarico, Abbott's opponent Hinojosa is not a nationally well-known candidate.
“So those are my two disadvantages. One was — three, actually: not having time to raise more money, having the negative ads, and my opponent is well-funded and well-known,” Paxton added.
Paxton Whined About Myriad Headwinds
Paxton had numerous excuses for the state of his race.
The leaked audio, taken by an attendee who is opposed to Paxton's candidacy, has been dissected for myriad examples of the Texas AG complaining about the strong headwinds he's faced in his election. He is in danger of being the first Republican Senate candidate to lose in Texas since 1988.
Paxton also complained that his primary opponent, outgoing U.S. Senator John Cornyn, is not doing enough to help him win.
“He wants me to lose,” he whined in the meeting.
He alleged no other Republican in Texas faces a candidate as popular as Talarico.
“Whereas the rest of the ticket — who knows the Democrats?" he said. "There’s not a single — like, if I said, ‘Who’s running for Texas AG as a Democrat?’ OK, moving down. ‘Who’s running as lieutenant governor?’ I don’t know. I can’t even name her name.”
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Paxton Trailing in Nearly Every Poll
Paxton remains defiant in face of leaked audio.
Paxton's campaign remained defiant in response to the latest leaked clip.
The campaign told Rolling Stone, “Rolling Stone combing through cherry-picked audio from a private fundraiser is nothing more than a partisan hit job, and it’s the same tired playbook the left has run against Ken Paxton for years. It hasn’t worked once. Republicans across Texas are united behind the Attorney General because they know what’s at stake, and no amount of selectively clipped audio is going to change that.”
Paxton is behind in every poll taken in the past month recorded by 270toWin.
Abbott's Race Is Neck and Neck
Abbott is still favored, but his race is unexpectedly tight.
Abbott's outlook is rosier, but the governor's race is still neck and neck with less than three weeks to go until the midterms.
Both Hinojosa and Abbott have come out on top in polls taken over the last month, per 270toWin. The unexpectedly tight race follows a nationwide trend of races in states once thought to be conservative strongholds growing unexpectedly competitive, including Senatorial races in Kansas, Iowa and Alaska.
Governor races in Ohio, Iowa, Alaska, Georgia and Nevada are all also in danger of flipping to Democrats, per Cook Political Report.
