Trump Says He'll Blame Cornyn and Rove If Paxton Loses
President Donald Trump said Thursday that Sen. John Cornyn and Karl Rove should be blamed if Ken Paxton loses. Paxton, the Republican nominee, faces Democrat James Talarico for Texas' open Senate seat.
47% to 45%: Talarico's lead over Paxton among likely voters in Marist's poll.
$70 million raised by Talarico, compared with roughly $16.8 million for Paxton.
$10 million or more committed by MAGA Inc. to help Paxton.
Trump also called Talarico a con man and a Radical Left Lunatic.
Why it matters: Trump backed Paxton over Cornyn, who lost the May primary runoff. A Talarico win would cost Republicans a seat they need for their Senate majority.
Democrats have not won a Texas statewide race since 1994.
Talarico is polling ahead of Beto O'Rourke's 2018 pace at this stage.
Trump Says He'll Blame Cornyn and Rove If Paxton LosesYou are hereLatest
How 14 sources split on this story
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Factuality
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Political Bias
Coverage by lean% of 14 sources
14 sources · 15 articles · 36% Left coverage
Where they split: Coverage divides over whether to treat Trump's post as a get-out-the-vote appeal to Cornyn's supporters or as advance blame-shifting for a possible loss.
Center coverage, 5 sources: The center frames it as Trump starting a blame game and notes his primary endorsement of Paxton over Cornyn, whom Mediaite describes as the stronger general election candidate.