Chamber of Commerce backs Ken Paxton as Texas Senate candidates kick off early voting

On Sunday, Texas Senate hopefuls Ken Paxton and James Talarico convened rival rallies, Paxton in San Antonio and Talarico in Plano, as the state’s early voting period starts Monday. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce issued an endorsement for Paxton, highlighting his opposition to federal overreach, low-tax advocacy, and defense of the energy sector. Chamber executive Neil Bradley said the group looks forward to collaborating on legal reforms to protect businesses from lawsuits and regulation.

One outlet’ polling average currently places Talarico with a modest lead over Paxton. While the endorsement aligns with the Chamber’s typical pro-growth stance, analysts doubt it will dramatically alter the competitive contest. Paxton pledged to remove bureaucratic obstacles for the economy and will co-host an early-voting kickoff with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Monday night.