Talarico's TV blitz dwarfs Paxton's spend as Texas Senate race tightens

James Talarico, an Austin state representative, has spent more than $25 million on campaign advertising since the general election started, allocating roughly $10.7 million to broadcast TV and $8.4 million to streaming platforms, which has given him near-constant visibility on Texas television. Ken Paxton, the Republican Senate nominee, has reported only $119,000 in ad spending, almost all of it digital, leaving him largely absent from the airwaves.

Recent polls show Talarico holding a narrow lead within the margin of error, a shift Paxton attributes to the advertising disparity. In one outlet's interview, Paxton appealed for donor assistance, noting that Talarico is spending $3-4 million weekly on TV and that Republican groups are expected to step in soon. GOP consultant John Wittman warned that the party must quickly define Talarico, while Dana Loesch criticized GOP donors for inaction, and Karl Rove suggested that a Trump-aligned super-PAC could level the spending gap. Outside groups such as Protecting America’s Future have begun limited ad attacks, but Republican ad purchases remain far below Democratic spending, which totals $119.7 million to $82.6 million in the race.