Just a week from Election Day, President Donald Trump returned to Texas for the third time in a month to back his candidate, state Attorney General Ken Paxton, in a closely watched Senate race. But once again, he couldn't resist taking a jab at Paxton's appearance. During a rally in Lubbock, Trump said his description of Senator Jon Husted's physique had improved Husted's standing in the Senate race in Ohio.
"Maybe I should do that with Ken Paxton, but I'm not sure your body is gonna qualify," Trump said. "I'm gonna do it with Ken!" Trump, who has long been fixated on physical appearance, has repeatedly praised Husted's build and looks during campaign rallies. His remarks about Paxton, however, have been far from complimentary.
The president has continued to publicly insult Paxton's looks and dress sense even as Paxton remains locked in a tight race against Democrat James Talarico. The contest has become the state's closest U.S. Senate race in a generation.
If Talarico triumphs, he will be the first Democrat elected to a U.S. Senate seat in reliably red Texas since 1988. With both parties vying for control of the Senate, Texas has emerged as a critical battleground.
Most polls show Talarico leading Paxton by 2 to 5 points, and Democrats are more confident about winning Texas than they have been since former Representative Beto O'Rourke came within 2.6 points of unseating Senator Ted Cruz in 2018. Paxton has largely shrugged off the president's insults. After Trump mocked his dress sense, he defended his clothing choices by saying Texas is "a relatively casual place in the summer." Newsweek has contacted the Paxton campaign for comment via email.
Here, Newsweek looks at four other insults Trump has directed at Paxton's looks during the campaign. Trump repeatedly disparaged Paxton's appearance during an event in the White House Rose Garden on September 2. "We're going to go to Texas and work for Ken Paxton, who's a great guy," Trump said during the gathering of Republican lawmakers.
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