Day 41 · Texas Senate Race

Donald Trump Blames Ken Paxton Foes

Trump warned John Cornyn and Karl Rove would share blame for a Ken Paxton Senate loss.

Center & Right from 11 sources

2 left6 center3 right

Updated Oct 15, 8:20pm ET

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What happened

President Donald Trump said former Sen. John Cornyn and Republican strategist Karl Rove would be to blame if Republican Ken Paxton loses the Texas Senate race. Trump accused them of making Paxton’s campaign harder and urged Cornyn’s former supporters to back Paxton. Paxton faces Democrat James Talarico in a close race, with recent polling cited in the coverage showing Talarico narrowly ahead. Trump endorsed Paxton over Cornyn, who lost the May primary runoff and has not endorsed Paxton since. Cornyn has called Paxton lazy and a poor campaigner. Rove has argued Cornyn was better positioned to win, citing allegations involving Paxton. The general election is Nov. 3.

How each side covered it

From the left

Left-leaning outlets framed Trump’s comments as preemptive blame aimed at fellow Republicans over a possible Paxton defeat. Raw Story described the attack as an angry tirade, with Fox News regular Karl Rove a particular target. MEDIAite connected that blame of Cornyn and Rove to Trump’s earlier endorsement of scandal-plagued Paxton over Cornyn, who was viewed as the stronger general-election candidate.

From the right

Right-leaning outlets framed the Texas Senate fight around Republican unity, blame for a possible GOP loss, and attacks on Talarico. The Washington Examiner emphasized Trump’s argument that Cornyn and Rove were undermining Paxton and should be blamed if Republicans lose, while also noting his call for Cornyn’s supporters to back Paxton in November. The Gateway Pundit cast Talarico as a radical pretending to be a normal Texan, with the media hoping voters buy the deception.

Headlines

MEDIAite · 18hTrump Starts Blame Game For Ken Paxton Losing, Points Finger at John Cornyn and Karl Rove

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