Republicans Balk at $200 Million Push to Save Ken Paxton as Outside Spending Hits $131 Million
Updated
Updated · POLITICO · Oct 3
Republicans Balk at $200 Million Push to Save Ken Paxton as Outside Spending Hits $131 Million
1 articles · Updated · POLITICO · Oct 3
Summary
$60 million more from Senate Leadership Fund this week pushed outside GOP spending in Texas to a record $131 million, with the race now on track to exceed $200 million to defend Ken Paxton.
That price tag is rattling Republicans who want MAGA Inc. to shoulder more of the late spending so SLF can protect other states, though people familiar with the matter said no such shift has happened.
Donald Trump has acknowledged the strain, saying he is worried about both Michigan and Texas, and he is scheduled to return to Texas for a San Antonio rally next Wednesday.
Paxton has added to party anxiety with what GOP senators and operatives call unforced errors, including donor remarks that candidates' numbers fell after Trump's Dallas convention appearance.
The spending fight underscores a broader Republican fear that an unusually expensive Texas race could drain resources needed to hold the Senate majority.