Rove says if Paxton doesn't debate Talarico, 'he loses'

Republican strategist Karl Rove believes Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton will lose his bid for Senate if he doesn't debate his Democratic opponent, state Rep. James Talarico. Rove made this statement at The Economic Club of Chicago, according to The Hill and Newsweek.

Talarico has been publicly challenging Paxton to a debate, including on Fox News, which has expressed willingness to host the event. Paxton's adviser has stated that the attorney general would "of course" debate Talarico, but no debate has been scheduled. According to Newsweek, Paxton's campaign has declined multiple debate opportunities, including a proposed CNN debate.

Rove questioned whether Paxton has the "guts" to debate Talarico, suggesting that avoiding a head-to-head matchup could cost the Republican the election. He dismissed the idea that Paxton avoids debates due to a lack of skill, saying it's not about being "adroit" but about having the courage to participate.

Brief written by urgent.news from The Hill, Newsweek — 2 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.