Muffled Paxton recording leaves Trump reference unclear

Ken Paxton, the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate in Texas, said in a private fundraiser recording that his campaign’s numbers fell after a midterm convention in Dallas, but the muffled audio does not make clear whom he was discussing or establish that he blamed President Donald Trump specifically. In the recording, Paxton says, “when we did that convention it dropped our numbers. Everybody’s numbers dropped.” Before his answer, an unidentified person asks whether “he” is “a little bit of a drag.” The question’s referent is unclear, leaving uncertain whether Paxton meant Trump or someone else. Paxton adds, “Right now, yeah, not good.” The remarks were recorded at a private fundraiser in Washington attended by roughly a dozen conservative donors and lobbyists. The attendee who provided the recording opposed Paxton’s campaign. Three other people with knowledge of the event confirmed he attended; two recalled the question, and one recalled his response about negative consequences. Those accounts do not resolve whom the questioner meant.