德克萨斯州民主党参议院候选人詹姆斯·塔拉里科挑战他的对手、德克萨斯州总检察长肯·帕克斯顿（共和党人），参加由TMZ主办的辩论，重申呼吁这位共和党人在11月大选前与他交锋。
Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico challenged his opponent, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R), to a debate hosted by TMZ, renewing his calls for the Republican to face him ahead of the November election.
在接受TMZ采访时，塔拉里科表示，帕克斯顿多次忽视他的辩论邀请，并建议这家娱乐新闻媒体在得知其一名记者近来曾就帕克斯顿不愿辩论一事向其施压后，主办一场两人之间的辩论。
In an interview with TMZ, Talarico said Paxton has repeatedly ignored his invitations to debate him and suggested the entertainment news outlet host a debate between the two after learning one of its reporters had recently pressed Paxton about his reluctance to debate.
“肯·帕克斯顿拒绝辩论，在我看来这相当于‘睾酮水平低’的行为，”塔拉里科说，此处提及了帕克斯顿在攻击广告中对他男性气概的“睾酮水平低的塔拉里科”侮辱。
“Ken Paxton has refused to debate and that’s pretty Low-T behavior in my book,” Talarico said, referencing Paxton’s “Low-T Talarico” insult on his masculinity in an attack ad.
周三，帕克斯顿告诉一名TMZ记者，他愿意参加辩论，但不希望“让CNN记者来报道这场辩论。”
Paxton on Wednesday told a TMZ reporter that he would be open to a debate but didn’t “want to end up with the CNN reporter covering the debate.”
“也许TMZ应该主办这场辩论，”塔拉里科说，称该媒体“比大多数记者更容易联系到肯·帕克斯顿”。塔拉里科反驳了帕克斯顿对辩论的条件，他告诉TMZ，他也已向福克斯新闻等更偏保守的媒体提出主办辩论的邀请。
“Maybe TMZ should host this debate,” Talarico said, saying the outlet can “get a hold of Ken Paxton easier than most journalists do.”Talarico pushed back on Paxton’s conditions for the debate, telling TMZ that he had also extended the offer to host the debate on more conservative-leaning outlets such as Fox News.
尽管他的民主党对手多次公开挑战，帕克斯顿尚未同意与塔拉里科辩论。
Paxton has not agreed to debate Talarico, despite the repeated public challenges from his Democratic opponent.
最新一轮交锋发生之际，两名候选人正在争夺参议员约翰·科宁（共和党人）所持有的参议院席位，帕克斯顿今年早些时候在特朗普总统的背书下，在初选决选中击败了科宁。
The latest exchange comes as the two candidates face off in a competitive race for the Senate seat held by Sen. John Cornyn (R), whom Paxton defeated in a primary runoff earlier this year with an endorsement from President Trump.
特朗普将责任归咎于科宁和其他共和党人，称他们让总检察长在这一深红州的大选看起来更加艰难。
Trump has placed the blame on Cornyn and other Republicans for making the general election seemingly more difficult for the attorney general in the deep red state.
科宁警告说，帕克斯顿反复出现的丑闻可能会成为共和党人的问题，因为他将出现在参议院选票上，称这位总检察长“作为候选人危及该席位”。特朗普支持他的受背书者，批评科宁和保守派策略师卡尔·罗夫没有为这位共和党候选人提供足够支持。
Cornyn warned that Paxton’s repeated scandals could be an issue for Republicans by having him on the Senate ticket, saying the attorney general “endangers the seat as the nominee.”Trump stood by his endorsee, calling out Cornyn and conservative strategist Karl Rove for not doing enough to support the Republican candidate.
特朗普在真实社交（Truth Social）的一篇帖子中写道：“约翰·科宁和他的‘小伙伴’、超级RINO卡尔·罗夫，正竭尽全力让德克萨斯州历史上最伟大的司法部长、也是美国最优秀的司法部长之一的肯·帕克斯顿，在即将到来的中期选举中难以击败一名激进左翼疯子。”
“John Cornyn, and his Liddle’ Buddy, Super RINO, Karl Rove, are doing everything possible to make it hard for Ken Paxton, the Greatest Attorney General in the History of Texas, and one of the Best in the United States, to win the upcoming Midterm Election against a Radical Left Lunatic,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post.