There’s a famous saying (often attributed to Napoleon) that you should “Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake.” We in America often render it as “Don’t interrupt your enemy when he’s digging his own hole.” But what if your enemy is doing just fine, even though you think he shouldn’t be?
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That seems to be the problem with the thinking in the Ken Paxton campaign. Because they can’t believe that James Talarico, the Bible-perverting, trans-loving, Islam-inspired leftist, could possibly win in Texas, Paxton is sitting quietly on the sidelines, apparently assuming that, every time Talarico speaks or a revelation about his past emerges, Talarico loses ground.
The problem is that Talarico isn’t losing, at least according to the polls. ChatGPT assembled this chart for me, showing that, in July, Talarico took the lead. Yes, it’s within the statistical margin of error, but there’s a consistency there that should worry everyone:
ChatGPT.
Some of this is Texas’s changing demographics. When Texas decided to woo the Silicon Valley crowd, it ended up importing countless numbers of young, college-educated leftists, the same people who turned once conservative Santa Clara County into one of the most rabidly leftist locations in America. In other words, Texas grew its economy by inviting in the same people whose political goal is to destroy its economy. Talk about the irony.
However, another problem is that Paxton has simply vanished:
Jesse Watters calls out Ken Paxton on Fox News pic.twitter.com/YHFjGARdde
— Politics Watch (@politics_watch1) August 6, 2026
Looking at the polls, Paxton can’t be pretending the Talarico is in a hole and that he should let him keep digging. The problem now is Paxton himself.
And honestly, Paxton is a problem. He’s not very likable.
In this regard, I keep thinking of John Adams, in 1822, explaining what he said when he was trying to convince Thomas Jefferson to write the Declaration of Independence. According to Adams, he didn’t just base his argument on the fact that Jefferson was a much better writer and had already put many of his ideas into his draft constitution for Virginia.
Instead, Adams claimed, he told Jefferson, “Reason second—I am obnoxious, suspected, and unpopular.—You are much otherwise.” In the brilliant musical 1776, the concept is converted into “obnoxious and disliked” for one of the best songs:
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Adams may have been a difficult person, but he was also one of the most powerful forces behind the American Revolution. He mattered because he had a clear vision of how the best government should operate, and he brought passion, brilliance, and visionary clarity to his work as a revolutionary, ambassador, Vice President, and President. He lacked charm, but he mattered.
Ken Paxton, too, lacks charm, and many would say he’s obnoxious and unpopular. And all of this plays badly against Talarico’s boyish (if creepy)…um, charm.
Here’s the thing: If you cannot change your personality, you need to embrace it and move on. In Paxton’s case, he should be out there saying,
Look, I know I’m not cuddly and lovable, but you’re not voting for your best friend. You’re voting for the person who will make sure that your interests—whether about economic well-being, your and your family’s safety, or America’s national security—are represented in the Senate. My principles and policies will do that. James Talarico’s, however, will destroy everything that makes Texas a great place to live, work, and raise a family.
This approach could make for a brilliant, imaginative, fun, and funny renegade campaign approach that lifts Paxton out of the doldrums.
That honesty is more appealing than manifestly fake affability and much more persuasive than hiding and hoping that your enemy flames out. Paxton, as Jesse Watters said, you need to do better, and time is running out.
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Image created using AI.