Justin Nelson uses ‘indictment birthday cake’ to celebrate AG Ken Paxton

Justin Nelson, the Democratic hopeful for the job of the state's top lawyer, released a stinging campaign ad Aug. 2, 2018 commemorating the three-year anniversary of Attorney General Ken Paxton's criminal indictment. less Justin Nelson, the Democratic hopeful for the job of the state's top lawyer, released a stinging campaign ad Aug. 2, 2018 commemorating the three-year anniversary of Attorney General Ken Paxton's criminal ... more Photo: Courtesy Of Nelson For Texas Photo: Courtesy Of Nelson For Texas Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Justin Nelson uses ‘indictment birthday cake’ to celebrate AG Ken Paxton 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

AUSTIN — Democrat Justin Nelson is observing the third anniversary of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s legal troubles with a stinging satirical campaign ad featuring a step-by-step guide to baking an “indictment birthday cake.”

Playing off the trend of snappy how-to cooking videos, Nelson’s ad shows someone mixing traditional cake ingredients — flour, eggs, sugar and vanilla — with fake dollar bills, representing money that has played a central role in Paxton’s criminal indictment. Paxton is accused of defrauding investors of $600,000.

The ad was released Thursday to mark the third anniversary of Paxton’s criminal indictment in Collin County. The online video is the latest in a series of ads Nelson’s campaign is using to trumpet Paxton’s unresolved criminal charges. Written and produced by millennial staff members, the ads seek to draw voters’ attention to the down-ballot contest, according to campaign spokeswoman Margaret Justus. Citing limited campaign funds, Justus said the campaign has not yet made plans to air them on TV.

Paxton has spent the bulk of his first term under indictment, but he is unlikely to go to trial until after the election. He is charged with two counts of securities fraud and one count of failing to register as an investment adviser. The Republican attorney general, beloved by tea party voters, says he did not commit any crimes, and calls the case against him a political witch hunt.

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“Poll results released this week show our campaign with a double-digit lead because Texans support Attorney General Paxton’s leadership in fighting and and winning for Texas, and they won’t be distracted by juvenile, half-baked campaign stunts from a liberal trial lawyer,” said Matt Welch, Paxton’s campaign spokesman.

The Paxton campaign released its own ad about an hour after Nelson posted the cake ad. Paxton’s three-minute, online spot never mentions Nelson, and instead focuses on Paxton’s record on fighting against so-called sanctuary cities, opposing illegal immigration and protecting the unborn.

A Democrat has not won statewide office in Texas in more than 20 years, but Nelson hopes to change that. While Paxton has a commanding lead in most polls, several have indicated that Nelson is closing in on the race.

Andrea Zelinski is a staff writer who covers politics. Read her latest stories here . Follow her on Twitter and Facebook . Send her tips at andrea.zelinski@chron.com.