![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1790281354_635_.webp\")
A Texas Tech University banner hangs from a light pole on the university\u2019s campus in Lubbock, Texas. (Lucio Vasquez | The Texas Newsroom)<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\tA Texas Tech University banner hangs from a light pole on the university\u2019s campus in Lubbock, Texas. (Lucio Vasquez | The Texas Newsroom)<\/p>\n
Two of the Texas Tech University System\u2019s top leaders are listed by their official university titles on an invitation for an upcoming fundraiser for Republican U.S. Senate candidate Ken Paxton, prompting questions from Lubbock County Democrats about whether their public positions are being used for political activity.<\/p>\n
Texas Tech System Chancellor Brandon Creighton and Board of Regents Chairman Cody Campbell are listed as hosts of a Sept. 29 fundraising event benefiting Paxton\u2019s campaign, according to an invitation highlighted this week<\/a> by the Lubbock County Democratic Party.<\/p>\n The Lubbock County Democratic Party is calling on the university system to clarify whether Creighton and Campbell are participating strictly in their personal capacities and whether it authorized the use of the pair\u2019s Texas Tech titles on the invitation.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re not alleging a specific legal violation \u2014 that\u2019s for the Texas Ethics Commission or TTU\u2019s own compliance process to determine,\u201d the party said in a statement. \u201cBut when the two people overseeing a public university system are hosting a fundraiser for a partisan statewide candidate, students, faculty, and taxpayers deserve to know.\u201d<\/p>\n Texas Tech\u2019s ethics policy<\/a> allows university officials and employees to make personal contributions to political candidates and organizations but prohibits them from spending or authorizing university funds to influence an election. The policy also cites state law barring public servants from knowingly misusing government property, services or personnel for certain private purposes.<\/p>\n The system\u2019s code of ethical conduct<\/a>, which applies to regents, faculty and staff, requires officials to disclose conflicts of interest and says they should not exploit their \u201cprofessional relationships or TTUS position for personal gain.\u201d<\/p>\n The Lubbock County Democratic Party said it wants to know whether Creighton or Campbell\u2019s Texas Tech positions or other university resources were used to promote the fundraiser.<\/p>\n State law sets additional standards for public officials. Chapter 572 of the Texas Government Code<\/a> says state officials may not have interests or engage in activities that are in \u201csubstantial conflict\u201d with their public duties. The law covers appointed members of governing boards at state-supported universities, including Texas Tech.<\/p>\n It\u2019s not immediately clear whether the use of Creighton and Campbell\u2019s official titles on the invitation violates any of those policies or laws. The Texas Tech University System didn\u2019t respond to The Texas Newsroom\u2019s request for comment on Thursday.<\/p>\n Creighton became chancellor of the five-university system in November 2025 and serves as its chief executive officer. Campbell, an oil and gas executive, was appointed to the Board of Regents in 2021 and became its chairman in 2025.<\/p>\n Campbell has previously given substantial financial support to Paxton\u2019s Senate campaign.<\/p>\n Federal campaign finance records show Campbell donated $274,300<\/a>to Paxton Victory, a joint fundraising committee supporting Paxton\u2019s Senate campaign, on June 10. The following day, Paxton\u2019s office sent a letter<\/a> on behalf of Texas Tech warning the Big 12 Conference<\/a> that sanctioning the university over its handling of then-quarterback Brendan Sorsby could expose the conference to more than $200 million in damages.<\/p>\n Campbell later told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram<\/a> there was nothing improper about the donation and said he contributed because he wanted to support Paxton\u2019s Senate campaign.<\/p>\n