{
  "id": 12596058,
  "title": "Exclusive: Paxton privately blames campaign woes on Iran war, gas prices",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/07/exclusive-paxton-privately-blames-campaign-woes-on-iran-war-gas-prices",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-07T09:15:05.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Axios",
    "slug": "axios",
    "url": "https://www.axios.com/2026/10/07/ken-paxton-iran-war-gas-prices-audio-trump-texas"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Texas Republican Senate hopeful Ken Paxton candidly criticized the effects of the Iran war and soaring gas prices on his campaign during a recent closed-door fundraiser, according to audio obtained by Axios. In the conversation with a group of donors and lobbyists, Paxton, the Texas attorney general, stated, \"It's not tariffs... It's the war, it's gas prices, it's diesel,\" emphasizing that affordability is the primary obstacle hindering his campaign's success. When queried about his ability to influence the ongoing conflict and fuel costs, Paxton acknowledged his limited control, saying, \"I don't make the decisions, and I don't know what's behind some of the decisions.\" The Republican candidate proposed tax cut legislation, including housing and healthcare write-offs and an expanded child tax credit, as his remedy for addressing affordability concerns.",
  "summary": "Texas Republican Senate nominee Ken Paxton privately lamented the impact of the Iran war and gas prices on his campaign in a meeting last month, telling a group of donors and lobbyists, \"I don't make the decisions,\" according to audio obtained by Axios. Why it matters: It's a candid admission from a close Trump ally about the challenging environment Republicans face this cycle. Paxton, the Texas…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}