Ken Paxton, the scandal-plagued former Texas attorney general, could be on track to become the first Republican to lose a statewide election in 32 years.
That’d be quite the feat. So it’s no surprise that Paxton, just a few weeks out from Election Day, is not a happy camper. But that’s no excuse for the way Paxton’s campaign treated our reporter Tim Murphy this weekend.
Quick background: Tim in Texas, reporting from Paxton’s “Come and Take It” tour. He was filming some B-roll at the event—the breakfast buffet, a cardboard cutout of President Donald Trump, etc.—when security suddenly approached with a warning to avoid any “outbursts.”
He seemed quite worried I would disrupt the event—something I have never done, and in fact cannot recall any other journalist doing at any other event, with the sole exception of the guy who threw his shoes at George W. Bush; I guess he also had a beard.
Eventually, someone else from the campaign, in a blue vest, came over. I identified myself again, reiterated that I was not here for “outbursts,” and said that, while I had not applied for one in advance, I would love to get a press badge. The blue-vest guy told me to hang tight while he got me one, but a little while later, the first man came back, summoned a police officer, and nudged me out the door with a hand on my back.
“We’ve looked up your credentials,” he said. “We’re asking you to leave.”
But just because Tim got the boot doesn’t mean he didn’t get a revealing glimpse of why Paxton is probably panicking these days. Read his colorful dispatch here.
—Inae Oh
P.S. Be sure to tune in tomorrow for all things midterms! We’re hosting an online conversation Tuesday, October 20, at 7 p.m. ET with voting rights correspondent Ari Berman, who is monitoring attempts at voter intimidation and disenfranchisement, and national correspondent Tim Murphy, who has been reporting on the close US Senate race in Texas and others across the country. Register here.
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