Kenneth Glad
When a safe bet turns into a gamble, everyone looks for someone to blame. A political party has treated a massive southern state as a guaranteed win for decades. Now, that certainty is crumbling fast.
The Republican party faces an unexpected crisis in Texas, where Democrats have not won a statewide election in over thirty years. Insiders argue President Donald Trump shares the blame for putting a vital Senate seat at risk.
Ken Paxton, the scandal-hit Republican candidate, trails his Democratic rival, state representative James Talarico, who has out-raised him in recent polls. Behind the scenes, Trump caused delays by hesitating to release his massive campaign funds.
Mark Jones, a political expert at Rice University, calls it a “perfect storm” for Democrats.
“You have a very unpopular Donald Trump in the White House,” Jones told TIME. He explained that a struggling economy and a deeply flawed Republican candidate have created an unprecedented opening. “And we have a Democratic candidate who, while not ideal, is a very credible politician.”
Holding the purse
Trump controls a massive campaign fund, with his super PAC sitting on over $400 million, yet he initially refused to spend it in Texas. According to TIME, he harbors private doubts about the midterms and hates wasting money on difficult races.
A senior Trump adviser pushed back against party panic: “People are clutching their pearls because we’re not giving away our grand strategy.”
Another aide explained the president wants to save cash for 2028 and 2030 to maintain political influence: “He wants to have as much money in his account as possible when he’s no longer able to raise the kind of money he can now.”
The stakes rise
Former strategist Steve Bannon warned that ignoring the Texas race is a huge mistake that could trigger a political nightmare for Republicans in Washington.
“I don’t think they fully understand what’s going to happen when we lose the House and Senate,” Bannon told TIME, warning of endless investigations if Democrats win.
Paxton struggled to raise the millions needed in a contest expected to cost over $120 million. Desperate allies hoped billionaire Elon Musk would step in, but his support brings severe political complications in Texas due to his controversial stances on technology and work visas.
“Elon’s money is tainted,” a Texas Republican operative noted.
Late to the party
By early September, Trump finally committed ten million dollars to the Texas race. The massive ad buy marked one of his first general-election expenditures of the cycle.
“I’m going to help Ken Paxton,” the president told reporters.
When Trump promoted Paxton at a Dallas convention, his praise came with a strange twist. He delivered the endorsement wrapped in a public roast of the candidate’s appearance, fashion sense, and television skills.
“He may not dress right. He may not talk perfectly. He may not be the best-looking guy I’ve ever seen,” Trump said. “But you know what he is? He’s the greatest attorney general in America and he deserves to be your next senator.”
He then looked around the arena for the man he had just finished insulting. “I’m sorry, Ken,” he joked. “Where the hell is he?”
Source: TIME
