{"id":135,"date":"2026-05-21T05:07:45","date_gmt":"2026-05-21T05:07:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nextaddressamerica.com\/?p=135"},"modified":"2026-05-21T05:07:45","modified_gmt":"2026-05-21T05:07:45","slug":"news-anchor-grills-trump-advisor-over-baffling-texas-endorsement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nextaddressamerica.com\/?p=135","title":{"rendered":"News anchor grills Trump advisor over baffling Texas endorsement"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Polls suggest Trump\u2019s last-minute endorsement of a scandal-laden Republican AG is mussing up a pivotal Senate race in Texas that Republicans must win in order to keep their slim Senate majority. But those concerns don\u2019t appear to be registering over at Team Trump, according to an interview with President Donald Trump\u2019s top advisor.<\/p>\n

Read more NYT warns Trump \u2018destroying pillars of American democracy\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cI will note that the endorsement of Ken Paxton, the attorney general, who has been indicted, not convicted, impeached, not convicted, his wife filed for divorce on Biblical grounds just a year ago,\u201d said CNN anchor Jake Tapper. \u201cThe [National Republican Senatorial Committee] was highlighting that \u2014 it\u2019s the only reason I bring it up. There are a lot of Republicans on Capitol Hill who wonder maybe that’s going to make the seat more competitive for Democrats.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tapper was echoing polls from Democrats, pollsters and even Republican critics that Trump just made an easy win in Texas a whole lot more complicated by endorsing Paxton, who faces a strong Democratic opponent at a time when both Trump and the Republican Party are suffering historic unpopularity among U.S. voters.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt’s going to cost three times as much now [to win that Texas seat],\u201d said Republican strategist David Urban. \u2026[Cornyn] was kind of a walk to win and beat [Democratic challenger James] Talarico. But Paxton \u2014 completely different story.\u201d<\/p>\n

None of those concerns fazed Senior Trump advisor James Blair, however.<\/p>\n

\u201cI guess it depends on what lens you view it through. I think we would say that the Democrats have put up one of the most radically left candidates that they’ve put up anywhere for any Senate race ever, and certainly in the state of Texas with James Talarico,\u201d said Blair. \u201cHe is way out of step with Texas voters.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more There is a way to claw back Trump\u2019s grift \u2014 and his own officials blessed it<\/a><\/p>\n

But that\u2019s not what numbers are saying, according to CNN data analyst Harry Enten, who pointed out that unlike Democrat Beto O\u2019Rourke\u2019s failed bid against GOP incumbent Ted Cruz, Cruz was polling ahead.<\/p>\n

\u201cCruz was up by seven points in the polls in May of 2018. Paxton now is down by seven points,\u201d said Enten. And at a time when Trump\u2019s own polls are cratering.<\/p>\n

Trump likely endorsed Cornyn\u2019s flawed opponent due to Cornyn\u2019s rare moment of disagreement with Trump in the past. It was the same motivation driving Trump\u2019s primary destruction of Kentucky U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie, who pressed for the release of the Epstein files over Trump\u2019s orders.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, congratulation on your primary and all the pelts you have on your wall,\u201d said Tapper at the end of the interview. \u201cI saw the Thomas Massie-sized pelt added to the rec room. So, congratulations \u2026 I guess.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more America\u2019s founders would be \u2018disgusted\u2019 by Republicans: Historian<\/a><\/p>\n