Trump deflects on audio of Paxton calling GOP convention a drag on polls

President Trump sidestepped questions Wednesday about a leaked recording in which Texas Republican Senate nominee Ken Paxton appears to concede that the party's recent midterm convention in Dallas hurt candidates' standing. Trump said he had not heard about the remarks, called the gathering "amazing," and claimed other candidates were helped greatly by it, according to CBS News.

The New York Times published the clip, which CBS News has not independently verified. Asked whether someone was a drag, Paxton said the convention lowered everyone's numbers and that things were not good right now. The Times reports he spoke behind closed doors to donors and lobbyists in South Texas. Paxton spokesperson Nick Maddux called the recording "manipulated nonsense" and cited an internal poll showing Paxton ahead of Democrat James Talarico by three points, though recent public polls have shown him trailing.

Trump endorsed Paxton at the last minute, and Paxton then beat Sen. John Cornyn in a runoff after a bruising primary, leaving many in the party lukewarm. No Democrat has won statewide in Texas since 1994, but Trump's low approval, especially among Hispanic voters, and Paxton's polarizing past have revived Democratic hopes. The Texas Democratic Party said Paxton is "loyal to nobody but himself." Asked about the audio, Cornyn said "whoops!" and told CBS News that Paxton has not led public polls and that "it's a tough environment, period." Trump is due to campaign in Denton on Thursday, though it is unclear whether Paxton will join him.

Summarized by PolitiKool from CBS News’s reporting. Read the full story at CBS News →