In a state where Democrats have long watched their statewide hopes dissolve on Election Day, James Talarico now stands as a credible challenger to Ken Paxton, whose own legislative impeachment and later acquittal have left voters uneasy. The contest, unfolding in the final weeks of an election season, carries weight beyond Texas, for its outcome will help decide whether the last two years of a presidency pass smoothly or under the scrutiny of an opposing Senate. Here, a candidate who has walked through metro, border, and rural landscapes alike is betting that the ordinary weight of rising cost
Talarico Rallies in San Marcos as Underdog Texas Senate Bid Enters Final Weeks Against Paxton
A three-decade Democratic drought in Texas is on the line
Mark
Why is this race getting so much attention if Texas hasn't elected a statewide Democrat in over 30 years?
Mimi
Because it no longer looks like a foregone conclusion. Talarico is seen as a real contender, and the seat could help decide Senate control for Trump's last two years.
Luke
Worth noting 'seen as a contender' is a perception, not a poll result. The reporting here doesn't cite any numbers on who is ahead.
Mark
What's driving the shift in perception?
Mimi
Two things stand out: voter apprehension about Paxton, who was impeached by his own party's legislators before being acquitted, and Talarico's fundraising, $64 million in the third quarter.
Luke
And that $64 million is the campaign's own description of it as a Senate record. That's their characterization.
Mark
How is Talarico running?
Mimi
Carefully. He's distanced himself from the Biden administration and his own party, and Bernie Sanders won't share a stage with him. His focus is rising costs.
Mark
And the Republican side?
Mimi
Trump has visited Texas several times, the Senate Leadership Fund has spent over $124 million on ads, and Musk gave $158 million to that group plus $10 million to Lone Star Liberty PAC.
Luke
Fair, but whether any of that money moves votes is unknown. Spending shows concern, not outcome.
O Pulso
- A race once considered safely Republican now tightens as Talarico draws serious attention and record fundraising.
- Paxton's corruption questions and past impeachment keep unease alive among voters even as allied spending tops $124 million.
- Musk-linked contributions of $158 million flowing through party channels intensify the contest's financial pressure.
- Talarico races the calendar with a final-weeks push built on costs, cross-partisan travel, and a rally in San Marcos.
- The result stands poised to shape national Senate control, with Texas's verdict drawing close watch nationwide.
In a state where Democrats have long watched their statewide hopes dissolve on Election Day, James Talarico now stands as a credible challenger to Ken Paxton, whose own legislative impeachment and later acquittal have left voters uneasy. The contest, unfolding in the final weeks of an election season, carries weight beyond Texas, for its outcome will help decide whether the last two years of a presidency pass smoothly or under the scrutiny of an opposing Senate. Here, a candidate who has walked through metro, border, and rural landscapes alike is betting that the ordinary weight of rising costs can outlast a river of outside money.
James Talarico, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in Texas, was set to rally supporters Thursday in San Marcos, a small city south of Austin, as his campaign entered its final weeks. Should he prevail, he would become the first Democrat to win a statewide race in Texas in more than thirty years.
Nationally, the story of this race has changed. Talarico, a state representative, first appeared to be one more Democrat raising hopes of flipping Texas only to see them fade. Now he is widely seen as a genuine contender against Republican Ken Paxton. Much of that shift stems from voter wariness about Paxton's corruption questions, his impeachment by his own state legislature, and his later acquittal. Talarico also raised a record $64 million in the third quarter.
His path has been deliberately nonpartisan, with stops in Democratic metros, border towns that turned red, and rural Republican country. He keeps distance from both the Biden administration and his own party, and centers his message on costs that have climbed for years. Trump has rallied repeatedly for Paxton, and the Senate Leadership Fund has spent over $124 million on his behalf. Elon Musk, who once led the Department of Government Efficiency, is a major backer whose contributions flow heavily into the pro-Paxton effort.
The final weeks will test whether Talarico's cross-partisan pitch on costs can break a long Democratic drought in Texas.
James Talarico, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in Texas, was scheduled to rally with supporters Thursday in San Marcos, a small city south of Austin. The event comes as his underdog campaign enters its final weeks. If he wins, he would be the first Democrat to take a statewide race in Texas in more than 30 years.
The way the race is discussed nationally has shifted over the past several months. Talarico, a state representative, was first seen as the latest in a line of Democratic candidates who raised hopes of flipping Texas, only to see those hopes fade on Election Day. Now he is viewed as a genuine contender for the seat against Republican Ken Paxton.
Part of that shift comes from voter wariness about Paxton, who has faced questions about corruption. His own party in the Texas legislature impeached him. He was later acquitted. Talarico has also far outraised him: his campaign reported $64 million in the third quarter, which it described as a record for a Senate candidate.
The stakes extend beyond Texas. Whoever wins will help decide which party controls the Senate during the last two years of President Donald Trump's term, meaning either an easy path for Trump or one filled with investigations and opposition.
Thursday's rally follows a nine-day stretch earlier this month when Talarico was out of public view with the flu. His absence set off online conspiracy talk, including a false claim, shared by conservative social media influencers, that he was in a mental health treatment center in Ohio. The claim fell apart quickly under scrutiny.
Talarico, who is also a seminarian, has tried to travel a deliberately nonpartisan path across the state: the big metro areas that already lean Democratic, the border towns that swung from blue to red in the last election, and the Republican-leaning rural high plains and desert. He has distanced himself from former President Joe Biden's administration and from his own party. Progressive Sen. Bernie Sanders is coming to Texas this month, but will not share a stage with him. His message targets what voters say worries them most: costs that have climbed for years.
Republicans clearly see the threat. Trump has made several trips to Texas to rally for Paxton, in a race that would otherwise be a relatively easy one for the GOP. The Senate Leadership Fund, the party's leadership super PAC, has spent more than $124 million on ads promoting him.
Elon Musk, who last year headed Trump's Department of Government Efficiency, is a major financial backer. Federal filings released Thursday showed he gave $158 million to the Senate Leadership Fund. That group gave $158 million to a Texas PAC, the largest contributor to Paxton's campaign. Musk also gave $10 million to Lone Star Liberty PAC, which supports Paxton.
With money pouring in on both sides, the final weeks will test whether Talarico's cross-partisan pitch on costs can break a three-decade Democratic drought in Texas.
Citações Notáveis
Talarico's campaign described its $64 million third-quarter haul as a record for a Senate candidate.— Talarico campaign, via AP
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