Trump Rallies in Texas for Ken Paxton as Senate Race Against Talarico Tightens
Photo: ReasonPresident Donald Trump held two rallies in Texas on Tuesday, October 27, to boost Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton, the state attorney general, who is in a tight race against Democratic state Rep. James Talarico of Austin. Most polls this month have shown Paxton trailing in a state that has traditionally voted Republican. At the first rally, in Corpus Christi, Trump pointed to the tanker Angerona docked outside and said it carried 1 million barrels of Venezuelan oil supplied at zero cost to American taxpayers. In January Trump ordered US forces to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, leaving his deputy Delcy Rodríguez in charge, and in August he announced a deal giving the US a fifth of Venezuela's oil. Paxton has also been weighed down by an impeachment and long-running ethics accusations, including from within his party. At the GOP midterm convention in Dallas, Trump said Paxton may not dress or speak perfectly but deserves to be the next senator. The New York Times reported that Paxton has stayed silent about his relationship with Tracy Duhon, a New Orleans woman known for a faith-and-redemption personal brand.
The right-leaning Daily Mail leads with the campaign event itself. Its headline frames Trump's rallies as a last-ditch effort to save Paxton and says Republicans fear the worst. It quotes Trump's oil announcement and links Republican headwinds to high gas prices from the war with Iran. It does not mention Paxton's ethics record or personal life in the portion available. The left-leaning New York Times takes a different route, a profile of Duhon and her place in Paxton's life, stressing his silence and leaving the rallies and oil out of its excerpt. Both sides treat Paxton as a vulnerable candidate, but they focus on different things: the Daily Mail on Trump's political rescue effort and polling, the Times on Paxton's private life. Reason, an alternative outlet, adds a distinct angle, with Trump's remarks about candidates' looks, Talarico's polling lead and the impeachment and ethics record, and asks whether Paxton can survive the race.
How the sides differ Right sources stress Trump's rallies, Venezuelan oil pledge and GOP worry; left sources profile Paxton's undisclosed relationship; alternative sources examine his scandals and electability.
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The New York Times profiles Tracy Duhon, a New Orleans Christian influencer, and stresses that Paxton has not spoken publicly about their relationship. Its excerpt features no campaign rallies or polling.
Reason asks whether Paxton can survive the Senate race, citing his impeachment, ethics accusations, Talarico's polling lead and Trump's convention remarks, including Trump's comments on candidates' looks.
The Daily Mail leads with Trump's two Texas rallies and his Venezuelan oil announcement, quoting Trump directly. It frames the event as a last-ditch rescue effort and highlights Republican fears, trailing polls and gas prices.