Last updated on October 7, 2026
Karl Rove, the longtime Republican operative and former George W. Bush deputy chief of staff, delivered a scathing critique of his own party at the Texas Tribune Festival, declaring that Republicans are being “taken over by Nazis” and calling out U.S. Senate candidate Ken Paxton for his numerous scandals. Speaking in Austin over the weekend, Rove revealed that party leaders including Senator Ted Cruz have privately admitted they’re losing ground as Democrats surge in the 2026 midterms, with state Rep. James Talarico polling strongly against Paxton in the Senate race. The blunt assessment underscores deepening fractures within Texas Republican leadership over both candidate quality and the party’s ideological direction.
Paxton’s struggles reflect a perfect storm of personal and political liabilities. Despite receiving over $100 million from the conservative Senate Leadership Fund, the state attorney general continues to grapple with a litany of scandals: a contentious public divorce, a bribery investigation that prompted his own staff to report him to the FBI, and allegations involving improper business relationships and home improvements. Rove emphasized that a stronger Republican nominee would easily dominate this race, but Paxton’s baggage has created an opening for Talarico, a former San Antonio public school teacher who has emerged as a credible Democratic challenger in what should be a reliably Republican seat.
Beyond the Senate race, Rove’s criticism extended to what he views as a dangerous rightward drift in Republican ranks. He pledged to vote for Democrat Jon Rosenthal for Texas Railroad Commissioner rather than Republican Bo French, whom Rove labeled a “bigot” for social media posts implying that South Asian students were displacing American students at the University of Texas. Rove also condemned the influence of far-right figures like podcaster Nick Fuentes, warning that welcoming such voices into the Republican Party betrays the inclusive, conservative movement he helped build and will ultimately harm Republicans at the ballot box.
Texas voters have until October 5 to register for the November 3 midterms, with early voting running from October 19 through 30. Rove’s unusually candid remarks signal that internal Republican anxiety about these races will likely intensify as Election Day approaches, particularly if Democratic momentum continues to build in traditionally conservative strongholds.
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