Trump's Texas rally disrupted by protests and physical altercation

Recurring disruptions and falling approval ratings in Texas highlight the tightening race for Senate candidate Ken Paxton as Donald Trump campaigns for his support. At least half a dozen demonstrators interrupted the president's Wednesday rally in San Antonio, prompting police to remove several individuals. One protester faced a physical assault from an older supporter while attempting to leave the venue.

Trump dismissed the interruptions, telling the crowd to leave and claiming without evidence that the demonstrators received payments from foreign adversaries. He addressed recent backlash over his comments about Iran, stating that a missile strike on San Diego or Los Angeles would create a disaster. Trump promised to defend American cities and warned against letting the country enter a downward spiral.

The visit marks Trump's third trip to Texas in less than a month as Republicans invest heavily in Senate races. Trump endorsed Paxton during the primary and praised the former attorney general as a steadfast ally. Paxton took the stage to thank the president and vowed victory. “We are going to win this race,” he told the crowd. A New York Times/Siena College poll released last weekend shows Democrat James Talarico leading Paxton 51% to 45% among likely voters, a significant shift in a state that has not elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1988.

Trump shifted much of his remarks to attacking Talarico. He repeatedly used a derogatory nickname for the Democrat and made false claims about Talarico's diet and recent health. The president argued that Texas voters would reject candidates who oppose traditional values. Recent polling by Reuters/Ipsos completed Monday shows Trump's approval rating sitting at 32%, with registered voters favoring Democrats over Republicans by a 44%-37% margin.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott did not attend the event. Abbott faces a competitive re-election contest against Gina Hinojosa and was instead traveling to a hospital dedication about 330 miles away. Democrats criticized the governor's absence. Republican campaigns have already spent more than $300m on Texas elections this cycle, according to the Associated Press. Trump's broader campaign tour has covered multiple states over a 32-day campaign blitz.