New Actor: Senate Leadership Fund withholds Paxton funding
Republicans have yet to put money behind Ken Paxton’s Texas Senate bid. Donor grudges from his bruising primary and revelations about his travel with his girlfriend have cooled support, and the Senate Leadership Fund and MAGA Inc. are each waiting for the other to fund the tens of millions in ads Texas would require. Planned Republican outside spending in Texas through Election Day stood at $0.
Texas demands about $15 million a week for a full super PAC ad push. The Senate Leadership Fund left Texas out of a $342 million eight-state plan and is limiting its role to polling and research; in a June meeting Paxton said he hoped the race would not require heavy spending. MAGA Inc. holds about $400 million, and its top aides have discussed Texas with the Senate Leadership Fund without committing.
The freeze leaves Paxton badly outgunned. Democrat James Talarico entered July with around nine times Paxton’s cash on hand and has aired roughly $12 million in TV ads since June. A pro-Talarico super PAC received $10 million from tech investor Reid Hoffman.
Synthesized from 14 sources
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AI-synthesized from multiple reported sources
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