Ken Paxton, the Texas attorney general running as the Republican candidate in a competitive Senate race, admitted privately that rising fuel prices as a result of Donald Trump’s Iran war were hurting his party before the midterms in the latest leaked audio recording.

Asked what issues were “dragging” his campaign at a closed-door fundraising event, Paxton replied, “It’s not tariffs … it’s the war, it’s gas prices, it’s diesel,” according to an audio recording shared with Axios.

“When it’s over $6 per gallon for diesel … people are feeling the pinch,” Paxton said.

Paxton acknowledged affordability was Republicans’ “biggest problem” heading into next month’s election, citing polling numbers that indicate Democrats are ahead in many competitive races – including his own.

Trump has tried to change the narrative around affordability, insisting his administration has done more to lower everyday prices for Americans than Democrats. Trump, who picked Paxton to run as the Republican in the Texas Senate race, will join Paxton at a rally in San Antonio on Wednesday evening.

But Paxton appeared to recognize the uphill battle facing Republicans, telling people at the closed-door events that “so many factors in this federal race are uncontrollable”.

“I don’t make the decisions, and I don’t, you know, I don’t know what’s behind some of the decisions,” Paxton said.

The Guardian has asked Paxton’s campaign for comment.

Madison Cercy, a spokesperson for Paxton’s campaign, said in a statement that the Texas attorney general’s comments were “a non-story”.

“The attorneygeneral said what every Texan already knows: gas and diesel prices are too high, and hardworking Texans are struggling at the pump and at the grocery store,” Cercy said.

“President Trump is doing everything he can to bring prices down, and Ken Paxton is going to Washington to help him by putting money back in families’ pockets with a bigger child tax credit and larger deductions for health care and buying a home. Texans need immediate relief, and everyone knows James Talarico will raise your taxes,” Cercy added.

Recent polling from the Associated Press/NORC Center for Public Affairs Research indicates most adults blame Trump for poor economic conditions. Approximately 74% of Americans said the economy was leaning poorly. Another 65% of survey respondents said they blame Trump’s policies directly for higher costs.

In the audio recording, obtained by Axios, Paxton said he was trying to help lower costs in ways that he could, such as through his proposed tax cut plan that includes healthcare and housing write-offs.

Axios’s reporting is just the latest leaked audio clip of Paxton being critical of his own party.

Earlier this week, Politico reported that Paxton privately admitted to people at a closed-door event that outside forces in Washington DC were controlling much of his campaign messaging.

“I’ve never been in a race where I felt less control over the campaign and, like, what issues are going to matter because it’s all coming – you know – from DC,” Paxton said, according to an audio recording obtained by Politico.

Last week, the New York Times reported that Paxton admitted that Trump’s Republican midterm convention “dropped” his polling numbers.

Paxton is locked in a competitive race with the progressive Democrat James Talarico. Polls show Paxton and Talarico are neck-and-neck, but Talarico has a small lead over the Texas attorney general.