Texas Senate race tops $500 million as Democrats eye 1st win since 1988
Why it matters: A Democratic flip in Texas could help decide control of Congress next year and rattle Republicans statewide.
The race for a Texas U.S. Senate seat has become the most expensive in U.S. history, with spending exceeding $500 million as Democrats try to end a statewide losing streak that dates to 1988. BBC reported polls suggest Democrat James Talarico, a 37-year-old former teacher and state lawmaker, is competitive in a state Republicans have long dominated. The contest carries outsized stakes because a Texas flip could shape which party controls Congress next year. On a stop in Lubbock, Talarico drew an estimated 3,000 supporters inside a venue and about 1,000 more outside, underscoring Democratic hopes that an upset is possible even in areas that strongly backed Donald Trump.