The scene in San Antonio
Things got pretty intense at the Freeman Coliseum late Wednesday night. President Trump was in Texas for the third time recently to stump for Republican Senate nominee Ken Paxton, but his speech was repeatedly broken up by hecklers. At least 10 people were either tossed out by security or left on their own while the crowd let out some serious boos. It's giving major chaos, with some attendees even getting into physical altercations before security stepped in. At least one person was handcuffed and marched out by law enforcement.
The political context
Real talk: this race for the Texas Senate seat is highkey stressing out the GOP. Ken Paxton is currently in a dead heat with Democratic candidate James Talarico, who is trying to pull off a historic win for Texas Democrats. During his hour-long set, the President went in on Talarico, trying to paint him as too liberal for the state.
Why it matters
Trump is betting big that he can move the needle for Paxton by leaning into his usual talking points on immigration and attacking his opponent's record. With polls showing the race is essentially a coin flip, the stakes are wild. The President’s rhetoric remains as heated as ever, but it remains to be seen if this strategy will secure the win for his party in a state that has been a reliable GOP stronghold for decades.
