A mobile billboard highlighting Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s long history of scandals showed up in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday and circled the building where he held a fundraiser to shore up his U.S. Senate campaign.
The Barbie-inspired “Corrupt Ken” billboard, organized by the pro-Democrat Lone Star Rising PAC, featured a photo of Paxton as a Ken doll and labeled the “GOP’s favorite new toy,” according to photos and video obtained by the Current.
The moving, pink-hued ad also mentioned the MAGA Republican’s near-impeachment in the Texas Legislature, his since-scuttled investigation by federal authorities and the frequent allegations of ethics violations directed against him.
“He’s cute. He’s Corrupt. He’s Ken,” the billboard declared.
The stunt comes as Paxton’s campaign faces mounting scrutiny over his European vacation with an alleged mistress, allegations he committed voter fraud and questions about his vast real estate empire. A New York Times investigation found Paxton owns 15 properties he managed to amass even though he only earns an annual state salary of $150,000.
“You can put Ken Paxton in a shiny new package, but there’s no rebranding the man himself — a deeply corrupt and morally bankrupt politician,” Lone Star Rising PAC spokesman Garry Jones said in a statement. “Tonight, while he’s asking Washington for more money, we’re reminding everyone exactly what they’re buying.”
Paxton’s fundraiser comes at a critical time for his campaign. With the general election just three months away, the AG’s campaign is being outraised by State Rep. James Talarico, his Democratic opponent, by a 3-to-1 margin.
One unnamed GOP strategist this week told the Houston Chronicle that Paxton’s fundraising amounted to “a joke,” while another admitted that despite the candidate’s endorsement from President Donald Trump, “everybody” is concerned about his cash disadvantage.
The president of the Texas Federation of Republican Women, Jill Tate, told the Chronicle that she’s “more concerned” than she was when former El Paso U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke nearly defeated U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz in 2018.
“Talarico is a formidable opponent,” she said.
Last week, Paxton’s campaign said he would debate Talarico. However, the campaigns still haven’t nailed down specifics about that matchup.
While heading into his fundraiser, Paxton declined to answer reporters’ questions about whether he still plans to debate the former San Antonio public school teacher, marking the second time this week Paxton avoided answering inquiries from journalists.
“We’re curious where [Paxton] ended up after he literally ran away from reporters twice in one week to avoid answering questions about his apparent voter fraud, his 15 properties, and whether he’ll debate James Talarico,” Texas Democratic Party Spokesperson Ryan Martin said in a statement. “Texans deserve a leader who will actually be accountable to Texans, and not a coward like Ken Paxton.”
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