Trump rallies for Ken Paxton in San Antonio as protests disrupt Texas Senate campaign

Disrupted rally in San Antonio

President Donald Trump appeared alongside Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Wednesday evening in San Antonio, marking his third trip to Texas in less than a month. The visit was Trump's first to San Antonio since 2019, taking place less than a month before the midterms. At least a half dozen protesters interrupted the event, causing Trump to step away from the microphone when one demonstrator approached near the stage. Trump addressed the disruptions directly as police escorted several demonstrators from the arena.

He's going back home to mom. But what he doesn't know is his mom voted for Trump.

Trump defended his immigration record and attacked Paxton's Democratic opponent, state Representative James Talarico, claiming Texas would resemble California if Talarico won. Paxton also spoke, framing the contest around constitutional rights rather than party divisions.

This election, we're not talking about red versus blue. We're not talking about a moderate Democrat. We're talking about the constitutional republic, freedom, the Bill of Rights.

Fuel costs and leaked audio

The appearance followed leaked audio recordings from a private donor meeting last month. In the audio, Paxton stated that the war in Iran and rising energy expenses were dragging down his campaign, noting that diesel fuel had climbed above $6 per gallon. Paxton told donors that Trump's midterm convention in Dallas had reduced his poll numbers and asserted that campaign management was coming from Washington. Madison Cercy, a spokesperson for Paxton, responded that fuel costs were burdening families and that Paxton aimed to reduce expenses through tax credits and deductions. A national survey by the Associated Press and the NORC Center for Public Affairs Research recorded broad economic dissatisfaction.

Democratic candidate Johnny Garcia, running for the 35th Congressional District, tied local financial strain directly to tariffs, the war in Iran, and healthcare cuts.

Legal scrutiny and party tensions

Paxton secured the nomination after Trump endorsed him over Senator John Cornyn in the spring, leading outside Republican groups to commit $200 million or more to the contest. Party strategists had warned during the primary that Paxton brought significant vulnerabilities into the general election. Paxton was arrested in 2015 on felony fraud charges, which were settled for community service and restitution. In 2020, top deputies accused him of bribery, leading to his 2023 impeachment by the Texas House, though the State Senate acquitted him.

Tensions intensified after Paxton's donor remarks surfaced, prompting an unnamed Republican working on the rescue effort to state that Paxton was welcome to raise his own funds. Family strain also surfaced after Paxton's wife, Republican state Senator Angela Paxton, filed for divorce on biblical grounds last year following allegations of infidelity. Angela Paxton recently released a television commercial backing the Republican ticket without naming her husband.

Senate race dynamics

A poll by The New York Times and Siena University showed Talarico leading Paxton by six percentage points. The deficit has created unexpected competition in Texas, which last elected a Democratic senator in 1988 and supported Trump by almost 14 percentage points in 2024. Talarico has been away from public campaign events after contracting influenza last week. The rally also featured Carlos De La Cruz, the Republican candidate facing Garcia in the 35th Congressional District, a seat redrawn last year and rated by the Cook Political Report as leaning Republican.