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

Elections

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.

Where
Odessa, Ector County
When
Oct. 28, 2026
Sources
Reported by 2 outlets

Counties: Ector

Taxes and money

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

  • Super PAC donationsover $158 million1 Who pays or receives it: Elon Musk

Does this affect you?

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

    Yourbasin, AOL.com

  • AG Paxton touts record, slams opponent in Odessa visit

    newswest9.com

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. Paxton slams Talarico, talks affordability plan in Odessa visit Yourbasin Not rated, October 28, 2026
  2. AG Paxton touts record, slams opponent in Odessa visit newswest9.com Not rated, October 28, 2026

Also reported by AOL.com.

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

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.

$10 million for settlement payment to resolve billing claims for medical interventions

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Reported by 2 outletsFound via Google News

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One outletFound via Google News

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

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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

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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

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$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

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$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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