Ken Paxton, Texas’s Republican attorney general running for Senate, admitted in a leaked audio recording from a private fundraising event that rising fuel prices due to Donald Trump's Iran policy were hurting his party's chances before the midterms. Asked about his campaign’s challenges, Paxton cited high diesel and gasoline costs as major issues affecting voters. He also noted that affordability is Republicans' biggest problem heading into the election, citing polls showing Democrats leading in many competitive races. Madison Cercy, a spokesperson for Paxton’s campaign, called the comments "a non-story," emphasizing that Texans already know about the issue of high fuel prices and blaming President Trump's policies for economic difficulties.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-07,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Republican US Senate candidate Ken Paxton, running for office in Texas, admitted in leaked audio from a private fundraising event that rising fuel prices due to Donald Trump's war in Iran are hurting his campaign. When asked what was dragging his campaign, Paxton replied, "It’s not tariffs... it’s the war, it’s gas prices, it’s diesel." He added that when diesel reaches over $6 per gallon, people feel the pinch, leading to higher food and other essential costs. The audio leak comes just days before Trump is set to campaign with Paxton in San Antonio. With under a month until the midterms, Democrats are ahead in many competitive races, including Paxton's, highlighting Republicans' biggest problem being affordability issues.
Written for “Paxton Leaked Tapes Controversy” on 2026-10-07,
grounded in this article and the 1 other(s) covering the same event.
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 before the midterms in the latest leaked audio recording.
asserted
prices → run → 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 audio recording shared with Axios.
uncertain
it → ask → Axios
“When it’s over $6 per gallon for diesel … people are feeling the pinch,” Paxton said.
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Paxton → ’ → pinch
Paxton acknowledged affordability was Republicans’ “biggest problem” heading into next month’s election, citing polling numbers that indicate Democrats are ahead in many competitive races – including his own.
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Democrats → acknowledge → own
Trump has tried to change the narrative around affordability, insisting his administration has done more to lower everyday prices for Americans than Democrats.
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administration → try → Democrats
Trump, who picked Paxton to run as the Republican in the Texas Senate race, will join Paxton at a rally in San Antonio on Wednesday evening.
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who → pick → evening
But Paxton appeared to recognize the uphill battle facing Republicans, telling people at the closed-door events that “so many factors in this federal race are uncontrollable”.
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factors → appear → race
“I don’t make the decisions, and I don’t, you know, I don’t know what’s behind some of the decisions,” Paxton said.
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Paxton → make → decisions
The Guardian has asked Paxton’s campaign for comment.
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Guardian → ask → comment
Madison Cercy, a spokesperson for Paxton’s campaign, said in a statement that the Texas attorney general’s comments were “a non-story”.
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comments → say → statement
“The attorneygeneral said what every Texan already knows: gas and diesel prices are too high, and hardworking Texans are struggling at the pump and at the grocery store,” Cercy said.
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Cercy → say → store
“President Trump is doing everything he can to bring prices down, and Ken Paxton is going to Washington to help him by putting money back in families’ pockets with a bigger child tax credit and larger deductions for health care and buying a home.
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Paxton → do → home
Texans need immediate relief, and everyone knows James Talarico will raise your taxes,” Cercy added.
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Cercy → need → taxes
Recent polling from the Associated Press/NORC Center for Public Affairs Research indicates most adults blame Trump for poor economic conditions.
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adults → indicate → conditions
Approximately 74% of Americans said the economy was leaning poorly.
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economy → say → Americans
Another 65% of survey respondents said they blame Trump’s policies directly for higher costs.
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they → say → costs
In the audio recording, obtained by Axios, Paxton said he was trying to help lower costs in ways that he could, such as through his proposed tax cut plan that includes healthcare and housing write-offs.
uncertain
that → obtain → offs
Axios’s reporting is just the latest leaked audio clip of Paxton being critical of his own party.
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Paxton → leak → party
Earlier this week, Politico reported that Paxton privately admitted to people at a closed-door event that outside forces in Washington DC were controlling much of his campaign messaging.
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forces → report → messaging
“I’ve never been in a race where I felt less control over the campaign and, like, what issues are going to matter because it’s all coming – you know – from DC,” Paxton said, according to an audio recording obtained by Politico.
uncertain
Paxton → feel → Politico
Last week, the New York Times reported that Paxton admitted that Trump’s Republican midterm convention “dropped” his polling numbers.
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convention → report → numbers
Paxton is locked in a competitive race with the progressive Democrat James Talarico.
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Paxton → lock → Democrat
Polls show Paxton and Talarico are neck-and-neck, but Talarico has a small lead over the Texas attorney general.
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Talarico → show → general
The Aporia
