Paxton blames Trump's Iran war for rising gas prices hurting Republicans

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 7 Oct, 18:14 · Archive

Texas attorney general Ken Paxton said privately that rising fuel prices and war were damaging his party ahead of midterms.

Ken Paxton, the Texas attorney general running as the Republican Senate candidate, admitted privately at a closed-door fundraising event that rising gas prices and war were damaging his party. Asked what issues were 'dragging' his campaign, he replied: 'It's not tariffs … it's the war, it's gas prices, it's diesel,' according to leaked audio of the event. He identified affordability as his party's 'biggest problem' heading into the midterms.

A recent poll shows Paxton trailing his Democratic opponent by 6 percentage points in Texas, a traditionally Republican state. The leaked audio has created tension between Paxton and Donald Trump, whose Iran policies Paxton appeared to criticise privately.

How it is being reported

• Trump and Paxton face awkward showdown in Texas as leaked audio reveals him trashing presidentA recent poll shows the Republican Senate hopeful trailing his Democratic opponent by 6 percentage points in the ruby-red Lone Star StateIndependent World · 7 Oct, 17:53
• Paxton admits Trump’s Iran war and US gas prices are plaguing Republicans in leaked audioTexas attorney general acknowledged affordability was his party’s ‘biggest problem’ heading into the midterms US politics live – latest updates Ken Paxton, the Texas attorney general running as the Republican candidate in a competitive Senate race, admitted privately that rising fuel prices as a result of Donald Trump’s Iran war were hurting his party ahead of the midterms in the latest leaked audio recording. Asked what issues were “dragging” his campaign at a closed-door fundraising event, Paxton replied, “It’s not tariffs … it’s the war, it’s gas prices, it’s diesel,” according to an…Guardian World · 7 Oct, 17:36

In this story: Ken Paxton · Donald Trump · Texas · Republican Party

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