Man Arrested Outside Ken Paxton Watch Party: What We Know

By Anna Commander

Deputy News Editor

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Dallas police have arrested a man outside a hotel where Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton was scheduled to hold a watch party for his race in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate. It is immediately unclear if the detention is related to Paxton's event, The New York Times reports.

Why It Matters

The 2026 Texas Republican U.S. Senate primary has become a national proxy battle over the GOP’s direction, and its outcome could signal the party's direction in the Lone Star State. Paxton is running against incumbent Senator John Cornyn and U.S. Representative Wesley Hunt.

What To Know

The Times reports that police appeared to pull ammunition from a blue car parked outside the hotel, and that employees of the Marriott Dallas Uptown say the suspect was seen driving the sedan while wearing a camouflage face mask, sunglasses, a hat and gloves outside the facility.

Local station Fox 4 reports that police did not retrieve any firearms.

In an emailed statement to Newsweek on Tuesday, the Dallas Police Department said in part, "On March 3, 2026, at approximately 5:16 p.m., officers were notified of a suspicious individual in the 3000 block of Fairmount Street. The individual entered a vehicle that did not display a proper license plate and left the area.

"Officers conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle. The driver was arrested for traffic violations. During an inventory search of the vehicle, officers located ammunition," the statement continued in part, and that the suspect was taken to Jack Evans Police Headquarters for further investigation.

In an update sent to Newsweek via email, Dallas police said investigators determined the suspect was at "the location" to deliver something to an employee. "He was transported to the Dallas County Jail without incident. His name will not be released until he is officially booked in."

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What People Are Saying

Conservative influencer Nick Sortor, on X Tuesday: "BREAKING: A masked man with ammunition for several different types of firearms has just been ARRESTED at Ken Paxton’s watch party in Texas The man was wearing a camo mask, sunglasses, a hat, and gloves outside the party, per NYT Glad cops got him."

Paxton, in a post on X Tuesday morning: "How much contempt can one man have for voters in his own party? John, when the majority of Texas Republicans vote against you today, it's not because they are 'not representative' of the GOP. They're not the problem—you are."

What Happens Next

It is immediately unknown to Newsweek if Paxton's watch party was impacted due to the arrest.

Update 3/3/26, 10:29 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with further comment from the Dallas Police Department.

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