Rove: Paxton ‘drew down the entire Republican ticket’ in Texas

GOP strategist Karl Rove said he believes Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R), who lost his Senate bid to Democratic state Rep. James Talarico on Tuesday, sunk other Republican candidates in the Lone Star State.

“Well, Paxton drew down the entire Republican ticket. He’s at the top of the ticket as a Senate candidate, and for the first time since 1998, we lost statewide constitutional offices,” Rove said Wednesday on Fox News Radio’s “The Brian Kilmeade Show.”

“And, you have to go back to … 1982 to have the Democrats have the kind of victory they had in Texas, and we lost every statewide office,” the strategist added.

Along with Talarico, Texas Democrat Gina Hinojosa defeated incumbent Gov. Greg Abbott (R), who has served for three terms. And Democratic state Rep. Vikki Goodwin also unseated Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R), while her party similarly locked down the offices of attorney general, comptroller, railroad commissioner and agriculture commissioner in the historically GOP stronghold.

In his race against Talarico, Paxton carried notable baggage as attorney general impeachment proceedings in the Texas House related to corruption charges, of which he was later acquitted, loomed over his campaign.

Nationwide, the congressional map was also painted blue as a result of Tuesday’s midterms. Democrats secured both the House and Senate, with The Hill’s election forecasting partner Decision Desk HQ projecting their caucus will reach 262 in the lower and 55 in the upper chambers once election counts conclude.

Republicans faced an uphill battle in this year’s midterms, with the GOP weighed down by President Trump’s declining approval ratings, the cost of living and the unpopular war in Iran, among other issues.