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Early voting is open through Oct. 30. Election Day is Nov. 3, 6 days away. Elections

Elections

Musk endorses Paxton in Texas Senate race as Paxton-Talarico contest tightens

Elon Musk replied affirmatively to a post equating children's lives with voting, using an illustration placing the concepts beside the candidates' names. The post came after Paxton announced Texas Children's Hospital opened a detransition clinic following a settlement. Polls show the race between Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton and Democratic state Rep. James Talarico remains close.

Where
Statewide
When
October 28, 2026
Sources
Reported by 2 outlets

Taxes and money

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

  • Settlement payment to resolve billing claims for medical interventions$10 million1 Who pays or receives it: Texas Children's Hospital

Does this affect you?

Coming up

  • Tuesday, November 3, 2026. U.S. Senate election between Ken Paxton and James Talarico1

Who's involved

  • Elon MuskX user who replied to post about children's lives and voting
  • Ken PaxtonRepublican candidate for U.S. Senate, Texas Attorney General
  • James TalaricoDemocratic candidate for U.S. Senate, state representative
  • Texas Children's HospitalHospital that opened detransition clinic

The facts

  • Fox News survey of 1,398 likely voters conducted October 15-19 found both nominees at 49%.1
  • RealClearPolling's October 8-21 average gave Talarico a 1.8-point lead.1
  • Texas Children's Hospital agreed to pay $10 million to resolve billing claims.1
  • The hospital opened a detransition clinic offering care through age 21.1
  • The clinic must be funded by the hospital for five years with services at no charge to eligible patients.1

Who said what

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

  • Elon Musk Children's lives depend on Texas Senate vote (affirmed by replying 'They do' to post).1
  • Ken Paxton Texas Children's Hospital billed Medicaid for prohibited or unallowable interventions intended to change patients' sex characteristics.1
  • James Talarico He would absolutely support a national ban on sex-altering surgery for minors.1
  • James Talarico He opposed athletes who identify as transgender competing in girls' sports when participation endangered safety or fairness.1

Where the sources disagree

  • Talarico's current position on medical treatments for transgender youth In September 2026 Fox News interview, said he would support national ban on sex-altering surgery for minors [1]; in September campaign stop recording, told woman he would fight for trans kids and said his position hasn't changed [1]; opposed 2023 SB 14 amendments that would have provided exceptions for certain minors [1].

How they headlined it

The same event, as each outlet put it. Marked words appear in only one outlet's headline.

  • Musk Warns Children’s Lives Depend On Texas Senate Vote As Paxton–Talarico Race Tightens

    Dallas Express

  • Experts grade Talarico and Paxton campaigns as Texas Senate race tightens

    WFAA

Sources

Outlets: 2 not rated 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. Musk Warns Children’s Lives Depend On Texas Senate Vote As Paxton–Talarico Race Tightens Dallas Express Not rated, October 28, 2026
  2. Experts grade Talarico and Paxton campaigns as Texas Senate race tightens WFAA Not rated, October 28, 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

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Paxton visits Odessa, attacks Talarico ahead of Senate election

Republican U.S. Senate nominee Ken Paxton campaigned in Odessa on Oct. 28, attacking Democratic opponent State Rep. James Talarico and touting an affordability plan featuring expanded tax deductions.

Paxton promises legislation expanding tax deductions, described as money voters "get to keep"; no tax impact quantified in sources.

Ken Paxton, Republican nominee for U.S. Senate, Texas Attorney General; James Talarico, Democratic opponent, State Rep. (D-Austin); Elon Musk, Super PAC donor supporting Paxton

Reported by 2 outletsFound via Google News

Civil rights groups sue Texas officials over voter registration delays

Three civil rights organizations sued Texas Secretary of State Robert Howden and Texas Department of Safety Director Freeman F. Martin in federal court, alleging violations of the National Voter Registration Act following delays in processing more than 500,000 voter registration applications.

NAACP, plaintiff; NAACP Texas chapter, plaintiff; League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) Texas chapter, plaintiff and 4 more

One outletFound via Google News

Trump and Talarico hold dueling rallies in Lubbock on same day

Republican Ken Paxton and Democrat James Talarico held separate rallies in Lubbock on Tuesday. Trump appeared at Paxton's rally at the Civic Center. Talarico supporters gathered about four miles away at the Fiesta Center.

Ken Paxton, Republican candidate; James Talarico, Democratic candidate; Donald Trump, appeared at Paxton rally

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

Tarrant County early voting underway ahead of Nov. 3 election

Tarrant County began early voting on Wednesday, Oct. 28 for elections scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 3. Voters can choose from more than 40 early voting sites open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Friday. The ballot includes races for U.S. Senate, Texas Governor, Texas Attorney General, and other state and local offices.

Tarrant County Elections Department, Administering early voting; Dallas Morning News, Providing wait-time tracker and voter guide

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

Texas House Speaker Burrows campaigns to defend GOP majority before midterms

Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows convened a June summit for Republican House nominees and has spent his first election cycle as speaker deploying millions of dollars to vulnerable GOP members, headlining fundraisers, and campaigning in their districts ahead of the November midterms.

Dustin Burrows, Texas House Speaker; Matt Shaheen, State Rep., R-Plano; Kim Carmichael, Burrows spokesperson

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

Last-minute spending surges in San Antonio-area Republican races ahead of Nov. 3

In the final weeks before the Nov. 3 election, over $1 million has been spent supporting first-term Republican state Rep. Marc LaHood in Texas House District 121, while a nearby U.S. House race in Texas' 23rd Congressional District has also drawn last-minute spending from Republicans and Democrats.

$1.1 million for campaign funds raised

Marc LaHood, first-term Republican state representative, Texas House District 121; Zack Dunn, Democratic challenger to LaHood; Brandon Herrera, Republican candidate, Texas' 23rd Congressional District and 6 more

One outletFound via Google News

Gober, former Musk PAC lawyer, runs for Congress in Texas 10th District

Chris Gober, former director and top lawyer for Elon Musk's America PAC, is running as a Republican for Congress in Texas' 10th District, which includes areas where Musk's companies have business interests. His Democratic opponent Caitlin Rourk has run ads highlighting his Musk ties.

$10,000 for SpaceX PAC donation to Gober campaign

Chris Gober, Republican candidate for Congress in Texas 10th District; former director and top lawyer for Musk's America PAC; Caitlin Rourk, Democratic candidate for Congress in Texas 10th District; Elon Musk, Billionaire whose companies have business interests in the district and whose PAC employed Gober

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

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