Democrat James Talarico has defeated Republican state Attorney General Ken Paxton in a closely contested race for the U.S. Senate, according to the projections reported in the source. Democrat Gina Hinojosa is also projected to defeat longtime Republican Governor Greg Abbott. Together, the victories would give Democrats control of the Texas governorship and a U.S. Senate seat, ending a 32-year statewide drought for the party.
The Senate contest followed contentious primaries. Talarico defeated Texas Representative Jasmine Crockett for the Democratic nomination, while Paxton beat incumbent Senator John Cornyn after receiving Donald Trump’s endorsement. Cornyn did not back his party’s nominee after losing the primary, citing Paxton’s record, but congratulated Talarico after the result was projected.
A member of the Texas House, Talarico campaigned on economic issues including the cost of living, as well as anti-corruption. Paxton emphasized his support for Trump and sought to portray Talarico as a radical leftist. Talarico held a polling lead through much of the general election campaign, according to the source, while Paxton declined three proposed televised debates.
Trump’s backing made the race a test of the president’s influence in Texas. Paxton campaigned alongside Trump, who also held a Republican midterm convention in Dallas. The campaign featured extensive spending on Republican ads targeting Talarico over issues including transgender rights and immigration. The source also reports that early voting data showed Republican enthusiasm trailing that of Democrats.
In the final days, Talarico and Hinojosa addressed a large crowd at a concert rally in Austin, where Talarico called for a focus on affordability and a vision for Texas’s public schools, economy and families. Paxton shifted his planned closing rally from the Alamo to Allen, near Dallas, and centered his final appeal on socialism, transgender-inclusive healthcare, immigration and other cultural issues.
The source describes Texas as having voted for Trump by a 13-point margin in 2024, making Talarico’s projected Senate victory a significant shift in the state’s political map.
Sources: Rolling Stone.