Ken Paxton Draws Just Dozens at Texas Rally, Faces Online Mockery
Texas AG Ken Paxton’s San Angelo rally drew only a few dozen attendees, leading to widespread ridicule on social media.
Gage Skidmore/Wikimedia Commons
Texas Attorney General and Republican Senate nominee Ken Paxton attracted a notably small crowd at a campaign event in San Angelo on Wednesday, drawing just a few dozen people, according to a video shared by the liberal network MeidasTouch and reported by the Daily Beast. The rally, part of Paxton’s “Come and Take It Tour,” sparked widespread online mockery after video footage showed the limited attendance and Paxton himself acknowledging the sparse applause.
Rally Venue and Attendance Details
The San Angelo event took place at the Arc Light Bar & Grill located inside a Clarion Hotel. While the venue features a 4,000-square-foot ballroom capable of accommodating up to 300 guests, Paxton’s campaign opted to use a smaller room known as the “Video Wall Room,” which holds about 106 people. For the event, tables were cleared to set up two short rows of stadium chairs. A Facebook video shows Paxton speaking for roughly fifteen minutes to the modest crowd.
The Daily Beast reported that it reached out to Paxton’s campaign for an explanation as to why the larger ballroom was not used but received no response by press time.
Contrast with Previous Day’s Larger Rallies with President Trump
The San Angelo stop came one day after President Trump joined Paxton for two rallies elsewhere in Texas that drew significantly larger crowds. At a Corpus Christi event, Paxton referenced the Fourth of July, stating, “July 4, we celebrated something pretty cool” and incorrectly calling it the nation’s 200th anniversary. Democrat James Talarico responded on X, correcting Paxton by noting, “It was actually our 250th anniversary,” and added that Paxton spent that holiday in England.
At a rally in Lubbock, President Trump made a crude joke about Sen. Jon Husted before addressing Paxton directly, saying, “I’m not sure your body is gonna qualify.” These moments contrasted sharply with the low turnout and muted reception Paxton experienced in San Angelo.
Social Media Reaction and Paxton’s Own Acknowledgment
Video clips from the San Angelo rally circulated widely on X, generating ridicule and memes. In one moment that quickly became a meme, Paxton was heard thanking a rallygoer with the words, “Thank you. Thank you for that one clap,” highlighting the thin attendance and lackluster audience response.
The event’s low turnout and Paxton’s visible awareness of it have intensified scrutiny of his campaign efforts amid a competitive Senate race.
Paxton’s “Come and Take It Tour” continues as he seeks to solidify support, but the San Angelo rally’s reception underscores challenges facing his campaign in mobilizing enthusiastic voter turnout.
As the race progresses, observers will be watching whether Paxton’s campaign can reverse this momentum and draw larger, more engaged crowds in future stops.
