James Talarico leads Ken Paxton in competitive Texas U.S. Senate race
Democrat James Talarico currently holds a modest lead over Republican Ken Paxton in a closely watched U.S. Senate race in Texas. A recent poll by Texas Public Opinion Research shows Talarico at 45 percent and Paxton at 40 percent, with 14 percent of voters remaining undecided. While Texas is a Republican-leaning state, Talarico is performing well among independents and moderates, where he leads 54 percent to 20 percent. Paxton has faced years of political scrutiny and various scandals, including a securities fraud case that ended in 2024. Despite these challenges, he maintains strong support from the Republican base. Talarico is leveraging his fundraising advantage of $21.5 million to highlight Paxton's record of perceived corruption and his handling of a specific child sexual abuse case. Paxton's campaign argues that Talarico's accusations are a distraction from his own record. The race will ultimately depend on whether Talarico can maintain his lead among softer conservatives and convert his favorable impressions into votes on Election Day.