Fox News blared out results from across the country inside a ballroom at the Westin hotel in Dallas, where Ken Paxton's Election Night party was under way.
There was still lingering hope among Paxton's team that the polls had overestimated the chances of his Democratic rival, James Talarico, and underestimated Republican turnout.
But as the night wore on, the results told a different story, and reality began to set in.
Around 10pm, as the networks began calling the race for Talarico, the TV was abruptly switched off – as if to spare the bad news reaching the 150 or so supporters who had turned up.
Unlike President Trump, who the Daily Mail revealed sulked in his White House private residence as the results came in, Paxton gave an unusually gracious concession speech shortly after it became clear he had lost a US Senate seat in Texas that had been in Republican hands for almost 40 years.
Paxton said he would 'pray' for Talarico before staying on to shake hands with supporters and pose for photographs until 11pm.
Paxton's composure, though, appears to owe much to a belief that the defeat was not of his making.
A top aide told the Daily Mail Tuesday night that he is privately blaming Trump directly for the disastrous result.
Republican US Senate candidate and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton gives his concession speech during his election night watch party in Dallas, Texas after losing to Democrat James Talarico
President Donald Trump walks with Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, right, and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, left, at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport for a visit to an Apple manufacturing plant, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2019
'He hurt us. We couldn't get away from him,' the campaign insider said of the President.
And the staffer was not only talking about the president's plummeting popularity.
The aide shared one example of how the campaign felt the commander in chief got in their way.
A moms' group had wanted to host an event for Paxton in the run-up to Election Day, which the campaign hoped would help it reach female voters wary of Paxton following his personal scandals.
But the White House called with only a few days' notice to say Trump was coming to Texas again, one of five trips to the state ahead of the midterms. The moms' event was scrapped.
The president had faced criticism for backing Paxton over John Cornyn, the sitting senator widely seen as a more establishment conservative.
Paxton, a staunch Trump ally as Texas attorney general, was mired in controversy following a series of professional and personal scandals, including a high-profile affair revealed by the Daily Mail with a married Christian influencer.
Trump admitted he chose Paxton because of a perceived lack of loyalty from Cornyn.
The aide said the Paxton campaign took some solace in a belief that any Republican would have lost on Tuesday night, given anger toward Republicans in Washington.
'That's the silver lining. I can honestly say Cornyn would have been in the same boat,' they said.
U.S. Sen.-elect James Talarico (D-TX) greets supporters at a Whataburger restaurant at the conclusion of a midterm election night watch November 3, 2026 in Austin, Texas
The aide pointed to the complete wipe out of Republicans across the state, including Governor Greg Abbott, whose iron-clad grip on power appeared to have ended overnight.
'If Abbott went down, you think Cornyn was going to do better than Abbott?' Paxton's staffer added.
The aide also gave Talarico credit.
'A geriatric John Cornyn going up against a charismatic and inspiring Talarico?' he asked sarcastically.
Talarico won the Lone Star State with 55.1 percent (5,445,121) votes compared to Paxton's 43 percent (4,249,752), according to the Associated Press.
But despite the campaign's assertions, there will be questions about whether Paxton's background played a role in the dramatic loss.
Paxton was impeached by the Texas State House in 2023 on allegations including bribery, dereliction of duty, obstruction of justice, abuse of public trust and other misconduct. He was acquitted and remained in his role as AG and denied any wrongdoing.
Paxton has also twice been caught cheating on his wife.
During his impeachment trial, lawmakers heard allegations he had engaged in a quid pro quo with a donor in exchange for helping find his former mistress, Laura Olson, a job.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott, Republican candidate for re-election, reacts as he delivers a concession speech at an election night rally during the US midterm elections in Austin, Texas on Nov. 3
The Daily Mail later revealed details of his second and current affair, prompting wife Angela Paxton to file for divorce last year on 'Biblical grounds.'
The Daily Mail broke the story about his second and current affair with Tracy Duhon in September.
We revealed how the pair moved into a $2 million home and took luxury trips to Iceland and London with her over the summer at the height of his campaign.
Separately, a long-running felony securities fraud case was dropped in 2024 under a deal requiring him to complete community service, take legal ethics courses and pay restitution to investors. Paxton denied all wrongdoing.
Still, it is unclear who, if any, candidate could have prevented the blue wave in Texas.
Even the five US Congressional seats in South Texas that had been gerrymandered to give the GOP an advantage were won by Democrats.
Governor Abbott wielded power in the state for 12 years, entering the election with more than a $105 million war chest to help his re-election.
'He had that stranglehold over every statewide elected office,' Texas Democrat political strategist Christian Archer told the Daily Mail.
Texas Agricultural Commissioner Sid Miller exits after meetings with US President-elect Donald Trump's staff December 30, 2016 at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida
Texas Commissioner of Agriculture Sid Miller, who lost a GOP primary to an Abbott-backed candidate, said Abbott, not Trump, was responsible for the demise of the Texas Republican party.
'He (Abbott) got too big for his britches. Any cowboy can figure out what happened,' Miller told the Daily Mail today after the dust had settled.
Miller claims he lost favor with Abbott after he warned the governor about concerns from ranchers and rural voters.
Chief among the concerns were data centers, Flock cameras, the rising cost of fuel, seed and feed and fertilizer.
Despite AI data centers being a top issue among these voters, Abbott took $9 million in donations from donors with ties to data centers, according to the Texas Tribune.
'We weren't listening to the people. It was death by 1,000 cuts. You add them all up and we got our a**es kicked,' Miller stated.
Miller says the state GOP is in disarray, with everyone 'pointing fingers at each other.'
Abbott, who had aspirations of running for the White House, according to Paxton's aide, is unlikely to run for office again, Miller predicts.
'Abbott's toast. He can't run for dog catcher. He destroyed our party,' Miller said.
As for Paxton's future, his aide said Paxton hadn't given it much thought as he did not expect the 'brutal' defeat he suffered.
'MAGA is dead- dead,' Archer declared. 'That now belongs in the history books.'
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