Democrat James Talarico is running against Republican Ken Paxton for the U.S. Senate seat from Texas in the 2026 midterm elections. Talarico won his Democratic primary race against Jasmine Crockett. No Democrat has held a Texas U.S. Senate seat since Lloyd Bentsen won in 1988.
Where
Statewide
When
Nov. 3, 2026
Sources
Reported by 11 outlets
Taxes and money
None stated in sources.
Who's involved
James TalaricoDemocratic U.S. Senate candidate
Ken PaxtonRepublican U.S. Senate candidate
Jasmine CrockettDemocratic primary opponent defeated by Talarico
The facts
James Talarico won his Democratic primary race against Jasmine Crockett.1
No Democrat has held a U.S. Senate seat from Texas since Lloyd Bentsen won in 1988.1
In 2018, Democrat Beto O'Rourke lost to Ted Cruz by about 2.6 percent.1
Who said what
These are statements and claims made by the people involved. They are reported, not verified.
Gil Sharon Talarico leads the polls and is predicted to turn Texas blue.1
Analysis in source 1 Trump's declining approval rating may explain voter shifts away from Paxton.1
How they headlined it
The same event, as each outlet put it. Marked words appear in only one outlet's headline.
Paxton, Talarico campaigns look for Election Day turnout surge
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.
Texas voters are choosing candidates in congressional, state legislative, and local races on Election Day. Major races include U.S. House contests in South Texas, East Texas, and Lubbock, plus state legislative races, bond votes, and city council elections.
Monica De La Cruz, incumbent Republican congressional candidate in District 15; Bobby Pulido, Democratic congressional candidate in District 15; Jace Yarbrough, Republican congressional candidate in District 32 and 7 more
Texas held its 2026 general election on November 3, 2026, with voters deciding races for governor, U.S. Senate, Harris County offices, and a Houston ballot measure on policing. Major campaign issues included property taxes, schools, healthcare, affordability, border security, and data centers.
$$140.3 million for campaign funds raised Jan. 1, 2025 through Oct. 14, 2026
Greg Abbott, Republican governor candidate; Gina Hinojosa, Democrat governor candidate; Pat Dixon, Libertarian governor candidate and 3 more
On the eve of Texas elections, Democratic candidate Pooja Sethi challenged Republican Senate nominee Ken Paxton to condemn remarks about Indian Americans made by Republican Bo French, the Railroad Commission nominee. Paxton had responded to earlier criticism without naming French, instead criticizing his Democratic opponent James Talarico.
Pooja Sethi, Democratic candidate for Texas House District 47; Ken Paxton, Texas Attorney General and Republican US Senate nominee; Bo French, Republican nominee for Texas Railroad Commission and 2 more
A nationwide nonpartisan initiative called DJs at the Polls is bringing local DJs to more than 200 polling locations across the Houston area on Election Day, November 3, with music aimed at boosting voter turnout. Election Day weather in Eastern Texas is expected to include rain and thunderstorms.
Michael Sanni (DJ GQ Mike), Local DJ participating in DJs at the Polls; Anton Moore, Founder and co-director of DJs at the Polls; DJs at the Polls, Nationwide nonpartisan organization bringing DJs to polling locations
Five national voter outreach groups led by Latinos conducted outreach in the Rio Grande Valley on November 2, the day before the general election, focusing on getting eligible voters to the polls with emphasis on Latino voter turnout.
Janet Murguia, CEO of UnidosUS; Isabel Palomares, Member of La Union del Pueblo Entero; UnidosUS, National voter outreach group and 1 more
James Talarico, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate from Texas, said in a podcast interview released Monday that he would work with President Donald Trump on healthcare, education, and housing if elected.
James Talarico, Texas Democratic Senate nominee; Donald Trump, President; Ken Paxton, Texas Attorney General, Republican Senate nominee and 1 more
Tejano music star Bobby Pulido is challenging incumbent Congresswoman Monica de la Cruz in Texas' 15th Congressional District midterm election. De la Cruz is seeking a third term. Analysts call the race a toss-up, with polls showing Pulido with a slight lead in some surveys.
Bobby Pulido, Tejano music star, Democratic candidate for Congress; Monica de la Cruz, Incumbent Congresswoman, Republican, seeking third term; President Trump, Policy focus of both candidates
The 2026 U.S. Senate race in Texas between Democratic candidate James Talarico and Republican Ken Paxton has become the most expensive race for an elected office other than the presidency. Combined spending on advertising, including primaries and general election, has reached $573.2 million, with more than half funded by political action committees rather than direct candidate donations.
$nearly $12 billion for total spending on 2026 U.S. elections nationally
James Talarico, Democratic U.S. Senate candidate; Ken Paxton, Republican U.S. Senate candidate; Elon Musk, Billionaire donor to Republican-aligned PACs and 4 more