Jennings on Paxton comments about Trump convention: ‘Keep it to yourself’

Conservative commentator Scott Jennings went after Texas Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton on Wednesday over the latter’s comments about the Republican midterm convention in Dallas.

“Ken Paxton has an excellent chance to win, and he needs Donald Trump’s help, and he needs Donald Trump’s voters to do that. And mostly, they need Donald Trump and the Republican Party’s resources because he obviously isn’t the fundraiser that [James] Talarico is in this race,” Jennings said on “CNN NewsNight.”

“So, for a lot of reasons, I was not happy with this comment today from Ken Paxton. Even if he thinks he was being honest, sometimes, keep it to yourself and say, ‘We’re grateful for everyone’s support,’” he added.

Paxton, the Texas attorney general, said the Republican midterm convention in Dallas was a political negative for him.

“So to be honest with you, the numbers — when we did that convention — it dropped our numbers. Everybody’s numbers dropped. Right now, yeah, not good,” Paxton said in an audio clip The New York Times shared Wednesday. The Texas Republican had been asked if he thought that “he’s a little bit of a drag,” though it was not clear who the person asking the question was referencing.

The Times reported that Paxton’s comment came at a private fundraiser with conservative donors and lobbyists in Washington.

Senior Paxton adviser Nick Maddux told The Hill that “this is more manipulated nonsense from The New York Times to create a story that doesn’t exist.”

Paxton is facing a competitive race for Texas Senate in a state that usually leans Republican. However, the electoral environment for GOP candidates is not favorable as they head into the midterms, with Trump’s approval rating slumping, the unpopular war in Iran and widespread concerns about the economy.

The Hill has reached out to Paxton’s campaign for comment.