President Donald Trump on Thursday once again had Texas on his mind, stumping for state Attorney General Ken Paxton a day after leaked audio added to the awkwardness between the president and a Senate candidate he called a “pain in the ass.”
He used an official White House event to tour a Peterbilt heavy truck plant in Denton to urge North Texas voters to send their embattled state AG to the Senate to replace longtime Sen. John Cornyn — even if Trump once again showed his annoyance with Paxton. Buoyed by Trump’s endorsement, Paxton trounced the former GOP Senate whip in a primary battle earlier this year. Paxton is in a tight general election race with Democratic state Rep. James Talarico, whom Trump derisively calls “Tala-freako” and claims as a fringe politician.
