Texas news, down to the facts.

Early voting is open through Oct. 30. Election Day is Nov. 3, 12 days away. Elections

Elections

Texas parties shift campaign ad messaging in 2026 midterm election

An analysis of campaign advertising data shows Republicans and Democrats have evolved their top issues since June. Republicans spent $359 million emphasizing crime, taxation, and transgender issues; Democrats spent $156.1 million focusing on taxation, healthcare, and corruption.

Where
Statewide
When
Since June 2, 2026
Sources
One outlet

Taxes and money

The sources don't state an effect on taxes. They do state these figures.

  • Republican campaign advertising spending$359 million1 Who pays or receives it: Republicans
  • Democratic campaign advertising spending$156.1 million1 Who pays or receives it: Democrats
  • Republican spending on crime-centric advertising$103.1 million1 Who pays or receives it: Republicans
  • Republican spending on tax-focused ads$92.7 million1 Who pays or receives it: Republicans
  • Combined Republican spending on transgender and LGBTQ+ ads$119 million1 Who pays or receives it: Republicans
  • Democratic spending on taxation advertising since Sept. 29$16.9 million1 Who pays or receives it: Democrats
  • Democratic spending on taxation advertising since June 2$35.8 million1 Who pays or receives it: Democrats
  • Talarico spending on top October ad$5.8 million1 Who pays or receives it: James Talarico

Does this affect you?

Who's involved

  • Republicanspolitical party with candidates in Texas statewide races
  • Democratspolitical party with candidates in Texas statewide races
  • Ken PaxtonRepublican Senate candidate
  • James TalaricoDemocratic Senate candidate
  • Gov. Greg AbbottRepublican governor candidate
  • Gina HinojosaDemocratic governor candidate

The facts

  • Republicans spent $359 million since June 2 on ads emphasizing crime, taxation, and transgender issues.1
  • Democrats spent $156.1 million since June 2 on ads emphasizing taxation, healthcare, and corruption.1
  • Republican spending on transgender minors, sports, and LGBTQ+ rights combined totaled $119 million.1
  • Democratic taxation advertising jumped to $35.8 million since June 2, with $16.9 million since Sept. 29.1
  • Over summer, Democrats' leading ad issues were healthcare, inflation, housing, and bipartisanship.1
  • Since Labor Day, Democrats' leading ad issues shifted to crime, corruption, and special interests.1
  • Taxation was Republicans' leading ad issue until mid-September, when crime and transgender topics overtook it.1

Who said what

These are statements and claims made by the people involved. They are reported, not verified.

  • James Talarico Paxton lied about his record and committed Chinese influence and sex change surgeries for children.1
  • Gov. Greg Abbott Hinojosa voted to raise property taxes 40 times during her House tenure.1

Where the sources disagree

  • Whether Hinojosa explicitly voted to raise property taxes Abbott asserts she voted to raise property taxes 40 times [1]; the votes include 40 votes contrary to GOP proposals to reduce property taxes, not explicit votes to raise them [1]

Sources

Outlets: 1 left-leaning Only left-leaning outlets reported this Who's covering Texas →

These outlets were found through Google News headlines. Google decides which outlets appear there, and they lean mostly one way, so this sheet can only be as balanced as the reporting it was built from. Leanings are AllSides Media Bias Ratings.

  1. How both Texas parties have shifted their political ad messaging The Texas Tribune Lean Left, October 22, 2026

This sheet was written by AI from the sources above and adds nothing they don't state. Read the originals for full context.

Spot an error on this sheet?

All corrections and updates

Keep reading

Four candidates run in Texas 34th Congressional District race

Voting has begun in Texas's 34th Congressional District with four candidates on the ballot. Early voting ends October 30, and Election Day is November 3.

Eddie Espinoza, Green Party candidate; Eric Flores, Republican candidate; Vicente Gonzalez, Democratic candidate, serving fifth term in Congress and 1 more

Reported by 2 outletsFound via Google News

Tech industry becomes central campaign issue in 2026 midterm elections

Tech companies and AI have emerged as a major focus of 2026 midterm election campaigns. Both Republican and Democratic candidates are running ads and making speeches attacking or defending datacenters, AI, and tech billionaires. Ken Paxton, the Republican U.S. Senate candidate in Texas, has called for a slowdown on AI despite the industry's pro-Trump alignment.

more than $75 million for PAC fundraising for tech-friendly candidates

Ken Paxton, Republican U.S. Senate candidate in Texas; James Talarico, Democratic U.S. Senate candidate in Texas; Three Star Pac, Democrat-aligned PAC running anti-datacenter campaign ads and 4 more

Reported by 2 outletsOnly left-leaning outlets reported thisFound via Google News

Paxton and Talarico trade campaign attacks in tight Texas Senate race

Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton and Democrat state Rep. James Talarico have released campaign ads and made statements attacking each other as the midterm election approaches. Paxton has criticized Talarico's record on taxes and energy policy; Talarico has attacked Paxton's legal history.

$500 million for campaign spending

Ken Paxton, Republican Texas Attorney General running for U.S. Senate; James Talarico, Democrat state Rep. running for U.S. Senate; Ben Ferguson, mentioned in Paxton campaign post

Reported by 2 outletsFound via Google News

Unknown sender distributed transgender pamphlets to Texas households during election

Pamphlets marketed to transgender youth were mailed to Texas households this week, offering advice on legal emancipation, hormone therapy, and out-of-state care resources. The Transgender Education Network of Texas denied sending them or printing them, though the mailers listed the organization's name. The sender's identity is unknown.

Transgender Education Network of Texas (TENT), advocacy organization named on mailers; denied sending or printing them; Texas Transgender Student Union, return address listed on mailers; Wyoming Secretary of State, registered the sending organization last month

Reported by 2 outletsFound via Google News

Fox News poll shows Paxton and Talarico tied at 49% in Texas Senate race

A new Fox News poll released Wednesday shows Republican Ken Paxton and Democrat James Talarico each at 49% support among likely Texas voters in the U.S. Senate race, with less than two weeks until Election Day. The candidates have not agreed to debate.

Ken Paxton, Republican U.S. Senate candidate; James Talarico, Democrat U.S. Senate candidate; Fox News, polling organization and 1 more

Reported by 2 outletsOnly right-leaning outlets reported thisFound via Google News

Social media videos accuse Texas Senate candidate Talarico; researchers say Russian disinformation

A social media post containing AI-generated videos accused Democrat James Talarico of sexual abuse. Disinformation researchers attributed the post to Storm-1516, a Kremlin-backed propaganda network, saying the allegation is not real.

James Talarico, Democrat candidate for Texas Senate; Ken Paxton, Republican candidate for Texas Senate, Texas Attorney General; Storm-1516, Kremlin-backed propaganda network attributed to the disinformation campaign and 2 more

Reported by 2 outletsFound via Google News

Ken Paxton holds campaign event in Fort Worth during Senate race

Ken Paxton, the Republican state Attorney General running for U.S. Senate against Democrat James Talarico, held a campaign event called the Come and Take It Tour at T&P Station in downtown Fort Worth. Attendees included conservative voters who criticized Talarico's positions.

Ken Paxton, Republican state Attorney General, U.S. Senate candidate; James Talarico, Democrat U.S. Senate candidate; Leonard Lang, Voter at Paxton campaign event and 2 more

Reported by 2 outletsOnly right-leaning outlets reported thisFound via Google News

All of today's news