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.
Super PAC donationsover $158 million1Who pays or receives it: Elon Musk
Coming up
Friday, October 30, 2026. Early voting ends (Texas)1
Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Election Day for U.S. Senate race (Texas)1
Who's involved
Ken PaxtonRepublican nominee for U.S. Senate, Texas Attorney General
James TalaricoDemocratic opponent, State Rep. (D-Austin)
Elon MuskSuper PAC donor supporting Paxton
The facts
Ken Paxton, Texas Attorney General since 2015, visited Odessa to campaign as Republican Senate nominee.1
Paxton attacked opponent James Talarico's stances on property taxes, border security, and diversity initiatives.1
Paxton promised legislation expanding tax deductions if elected.1
Elon Musk donated over $158 million to Super PACs supporting Paxton in September alone.1
Democrats have not won a statewide race in Texas since 1994.1
Paxton defeated John Cornyn in the Republican Primary.1
Paxton was impeached by the Texas House on 16 corruption articles in 2023 and acquitted by Texas Senate.1
Who said what
These are statements and claims made by the people involved. They are reported, not verified.
Ken Paxton This is the most important election of your life.1
James Talarico Attack ads on TV were from Elon; lies in mailbox were from Elon.1
A Nexstar Media/Emerson College poll conducted Oct. 18 Paxton trailing Talarico by two percentage points among likely voters.1
A Pew Research poll from early October Affordability and economy are top-of-mind for 84% of Americans heading to polls.1
Where the sources disagree
Paxton's polling standing versus Talarico Paxton trailing in likely-voter polls per source [1]; Musk endorsed Paxton in another recent headline suggesting support
How they headlined it
The same event, as each outlet put it. Marked words appear in only one outlet's headline.
Paxton slams Talarico, talks affordability plan in Odessa visit
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.
KSAT will broadcast live election night coverage on Nov. 3 covering U.S. Senate, Texas congressional districts, gubernatorial race, and Bexar County judge and district attorney races.
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.
$$10 million for settlement payment to resolve billing claims for medical interventions
Elon Musk, X user who replied to post about children's lives and voting; Ken Paxton, Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, Texas Attorney General; James Talarico, Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, state representative and 1 more
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
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
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
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
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
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