Texas Senate race pits Paxton against Talarico in marquee midterm test
Why it matters: The winner could end Democrats’ statewide drought dating to 1994 or cement Republican control in a race polling has shown as competitive.
Texas voters are deciding a closely watched U.S. Senate race between Republican Ken Paxton and Democrat James Talarico, one of the marquee contests of the 2026 midterms. Paxton, Texas’ three-term attorney general, reached the general election after defeating Sen. John Cornyn in a May primary runoff, the first time a Texas senator lost renomination since 1970. He carried President Donald Trump’s endorsement into the race. Talarico, a state representative from the Austin suburbs and former middle school teacher, built his campaign around faith, public schools and the cost of living. No Democrat has won statewide in Texas since 1994, and recent polling had Paxton running behind Talarico.