Donald Trump joked at a rally that Ken Paxton, the Republican Senate candidate from Texas, can be “a pain in the a**.”
The remark came as Paxton works to defeat Democratic newcomer James Talarico in a closely watched contest that could determine which party controls the Senate.
Trump is said to have grown increasingly irritated with Paxton in recent weeks after the Texas attorney general reportedly acknowledged that the GOP’s midterm convention had hurt his poll numbers.
“When I was being hit by the radical left… Ken Paxton was at my side, more than anybody, and I have to always remember that because he can be a pain in the a** sometimes — I’ll be honest,” Trump said.
Paxton was photographed at the rally, although Trump said he had not realized the candidate was in attendance.
“Is he here, by the way? Oh, there he is. Good. I didn’t even know if he was here! I don’t care,” Trump said.
“I would say the same thing whether… the guy is the greatest attorney general in the United States of America.”
Trump also described the controversial Texas attorney general as a longtime friend and “one of the most loyal people.”
The Daily Mail has contacted General Paxton and Representative Talarico for comment.
Donald Trump joked that Texas Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton was “a pain in the a**” during a Thursday rally supporting the state attorney general
Amid reports that Trump has become increasingly frustrated with Paxton after he privately acknowledged that the President’s midterm convention weakened his poll numbers, Trump took several more jabs at him during a rally in Denton
Leaked audio released earlier this week revealed that Paxton believed Trump’s Texas midterm event had damaged his campaign.
An attendee asked Paxton whether a particular figure was hurting his campaign: “Do you feel like he’s a little bit of a drag?” The muffled recording does not make clear whom the question referred to.
“When we did that convention… it dropped our numbers. Everybody’s numbers dropped,” Paxton responded. “Right now, yeah, not good.”
The private admission contrasts sharply with Paxton’s public reputation as one of Trump’s most steadfast allies.
Paxton secured the Republican nomination with Trump’s backing, defeating longtime incumbent Senator John Cornyn in a bruising primary earlier this year.
Trump personally advocated for the unusual midterm gathering, held in Dallas this month, which functioned largely as a celebration of his time in the White House.
Paxton remained highly visible throughout the event, occupying a prominent seat in the arena and seeking contributions from donors. Trump called him the country’s best attorney general from the stage, while also teasing him about his appearance and clothing.
An attendee opposed to Paxton’s campaign provided the recording to the Times, while three other people familiar with the fundraiser confirmed that he had attended.
The President has repeatedly poked fun at Paxton as the Texas attorney general campaigns against Democratic newcomer James Talarico in a Senate race that could decide control of the chamber
Paxton owes his spot on the ballot to Trump, whose endorsement propelled him past longtime incumbent Republican Senator John Cornyn in a contentious primary earlier this year
Senior Paxton adviser Nick Maddux accused the Times of manipulating the audio to invent a story.
‘Our latest poll from the last week has Ken Paxton leading by three points, and every serious pollster will tell you that our numbers have improved since early September,’ Maddux said.
‘Ken Paxton is going to win this race, and he looks forward to closing strong alongside President Trump, including when he comes to Texas this week.’
But with Election Day just five weeks away, Paxton has narrowly trailed Democrat James Talarico in a string of recent surveys. Trump’s super PAC, MAGA Inc, has already thrown $20 million behind Paxton’s bid.
Trump, however, sees it the opposite way, boasting just days after the convention that the event gave Paxton a major boost.
‘The fact that we had such a successful convention really helped Ken Paxton,’ Trump said at the time. ‘He was a big part of it… the convention helped Ken Paxton a lot.’
Despite Trump’s public upbeat comments, GOP insiders and candidates privately fear that November’s midterm elections could strip Republicans of their majorities in both the House and Senate.
Democrats currently hold at least slim polling leads in six of the likeliest Senate tipping-point states, Texas, Maine, Ohio, Iowa, Michigan and Alaska, according to multiple polling averages.
Losing either chamber would hand Democrats the power to launch committee investigations into the Trump administration, and potentially open the door to another impeachment.