Ken Paxton says he feels no control over his Texas Senate campaign

A source in Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s political orbit tells Fox News Digital that the Republican Senate nominee in Texas appears frustrated with a lack of control over his campaign as he faces off against Democratic nominee state Rep. James Talarico in a combustible Senate battle.

The source spoke on Monday after Politico reported on an audio recording from late last month where Paxton said, «I’ve never been in a race where I felt less control over the campaign and, like, what issues are going to matter because it’s all coming — you know — from D.C.»

The faceoff in red-leaning Texas between Paxton and Talarico is a race to succeed longtime Republican Sen. John Cornyn, who Paxton defeated in a bruising primary fight. The contest is one of roughly a dozen that will determine if the GOP holds onto its Senate majority in the midterm elections.

«I don’t control message or what we’re doing… I don’t have ability to change anything,» Paxton added on the audio recording. «So I have to live with whatever I’ve got. So it is a challenge.»

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Ken Paxton, Texas attorney general and Republican Senate nominee speaks during the first day of the Republican Midterm Convention at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026. (Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Paxton made the comments, according to the report, during a Sept. 24 lunch in the nation’s capital hosted by a D.C.-based lobbying firm. Politico reported it obtained the recording from a person attending the lunch who does not support Paxton.

«Campaigns don’t coordinate with super PACS and that’s obviously what AG Paxton was referring to,» Paxton campaign adviser Nick Maddux told Fox News Digital in a statement.

Super PACs and other outside groups are legally prohibited from directly coordinating with candidates and campaigns over spending and other expenditures.

Maddux added, «AG Paxton is thankful for the support and knows how important Texas is to keeping the majority, which is why he’s on the ground every day talking to Texas, raising money, and taking his message directly to the people including with his statewide television buy that started over this past weekend.»

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Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas speaks to reporters after losing his bid for renomination to Texas Attorney General John Paxton, in Austin, Texas on May 26, 2026. (Eddie Seal/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Paxton’s frustration at the lunch appeared to extend beyond his lack of control over outside spending. In a separate recording from the same gathering obtained by The New York Times, Paxton suggested last month’s GOP midterm convention in Dallas had hurt Republican candidates’ polling.

«Dropped our numbers. Everybody’s numbers dropped. Right now, yeah, not good,» Paxton said.

Maddux described the reporting as «manipulated nonsense.»

As he campaigned against Cornyn in the March primary and a May runoff, Paxton characterized the senator as a «Washington insider» and a «RINO» — which stands for «Republican in name only.» And Paxton, known as a MAGA firebrand, showcased his outsider credentials and support for President Donald Trump. The president made an 11th-hour endorsement of Paxton ahead of the runoff.

Paxton, meanwhile, repeatedly criticized Cornyn for being bankrolled by the D.C. Republican establishment.

«I think John spent $100 million. What a waste of money. That money should have been going to Republicans in other states, not fighting another Republican,» Paxton told Fox News Digital in Waco, Texas, on the eve of the March primary.

Groups aligned with Cornyn vastly outspent pro-Paxton groups during the primary campaign to run spots highlighting the Texas attorney general’s political baggage.

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Paxton has faced a slew of scandals and legal problems that have battered him over the past decade, including a 2023 vote by the Texas House of Representatives to impeach him. Paxton was eventually acquitted of all charges by the state Senate. Paxton is also currently dealing with a contentious divorce, with his wife citing «biblical grounds» based on «recent discoveries» as she filed last year to end their marriage.

Cornyn, who was supported by Senate Majority Leader John Thune and the National Republican Senatorial Committee, regularly argued that if Paxton won the nomination, the party would be forced to spend millions of dollars to keep the seat from flipping and that Republicans down-ballot would suffer.

Now, many of those groups that targeted Paxton during the primary are spending big bucks to try and save the Senate seat. A projection from the ad-tracking firm AdImpact estimates that up to $850 million will be spent in the race.

«The same people who tore him down earlier this year are now trying to rebuild him,» the Paxton source told Fox News Digital.

The source added that Paxton «genuinely doesn’t like the DC people.»

The latest Fox News poll in the race, conducted Sept. 24-28, showed Talarico with a slight 51%-49% edge over Paxton.

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Democratic Senate nominee state Rep. James Talarico speaks during a campaign rally at the Cailloux Theater on Aug. 31, 2026, in Kerrville, Texas. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

And the race in Texas, along with Senate showdowns in Ohio, Michigan, Maine, Iowa, and Alaska, is rated a toss-up in the most recent Fox News Power Rankings.

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The Paxton source said that the candidate appears to be in uncharted territory.

Pointing to Paxton’s ballot box victories as a state lawmaker and his 2014 election and 2018 and 2022 re-elections as state attorney general, the source said, «I don’t think he’s ever been in a campaign situation where he’s been the underdog.»