Fox News’ Brit Hume said President Donald Trump’s primary endorsement of a controversial Senate candidate in Texas has put the GOP “in some danger” for November’s general election.
Hume’s Analysis of the Race
Hume, the channel’s chief political analyst, reacted to colleague Bret Baier’s display of a Wall Street Journal headline blaring that Trump’s support of Ken Paxton over incumbent John Cornyn “Makes Chuck Schumer’s Day.” The newspaper said if Paxton wins Tuesday’s run-off against Cornyn, Trump will shoulder the blame if Democrat James Talarico defeats Paxton in November.
A clip of Trump predicting a Paxton victory in the run-off and general election followed.
Hume’s Warning
“I think that the seat is now at least in some danger,” Hume said. “Look, Texas is still Texas. Ken Paxton may yet win, but he has a ton of baggage. There’s no doubt about that, and he doesn’t really bring in all segments of the Republican base. So we’ll see. And Talarico, he’s got some baggage, too, but he’s a slick talker and impresses a lot of people. So he’s got a shot now that maybe he didn’t have if his opponent had been Cornyn.”
Republican Leadership Concerns
Republican Senate leadership had reportedly urged Trump to back Cornyn, but Trump went with Texas Attorney General Paxton, who has presented himself as more of a Trump diehard.
But he’s got a checkered past that includes bribery allegations. Paxton was accused of helping a real estate developer harass his enemies in exchange for the developer funding the renovation of Paxton’s home and helping the AG cover up an extramarital affair. Paxton was impeached and acquitted.
