Paxton vows to defeat Talarico as polls show Democrat leading Texas Senate race

One outlet's poll of Texas voters shows Democratic state legislator James Talarico leading Republican attorney general Ken Paxton, 51% to 48% among the general electorate and 53% to 47% among highly engaged voters. Paxton argued the lead is unsurprising because Talarico benefited from three months of fundraising after the primary runoff, spending about $2 million weekly. He pledged to expose what he described as Talarico’s “fake” moderate persona and warned voters against a “socialist Democrat.”

Campaign finance reports reveal Talarico has raised roughly $31.6 million, about three times Paxton’s $9.3 million, with half of his contributions coming from out-of-state donors. Paxton, whose out-of-state funding is about 25%, emphasized policy proposals such as tax deductions for homebuyers and medical expenses. Both candidates are traveling across Texas, aiming to solidify support ahead of the November election.