Texas has not elected a Democratic senator since 1988. Now James Talarico, 37, could change that. Recent polls give him a lead over the Republican candidate, state Attorney General Ken Paxton.
In recent weeks, Republican donors, including billionaire Elon Musk, have poured hundreds of millions into the Texas campaign, but pollsters say that for now, even that money cannot mobilize all Republicans in the state to support the party's candidate. Rising prices due to the ongoing war in Iran are turning the clash in the second-largest state into a referendum on Trump's rule. Back in May, a University of Texas poll showed that only 37% of the state's residents support an offensive against Iran.
The most expensive campaign in history?
In the campaign, Republicans are trying to shift the focus away from these issues. Since August 1, more than $100 million has been invested in ads accusing Democrats, and specifically Tallarico, of supporting "child sex reassignment." One of his lines that God is "non-binary" because he is both male and female has become the focus of attacks.
The Texas campaign is expected to become the most expensive clash for a senatorial seat in history, with over $500 million already spent on the campaigns of the two candidates. $158 million of that was invested by Musk alone. But while Paxton receives support from the so-called Political Action Committees (PACs) - organizations that generate funds from donors to use in support of a candidate, Talarico relies on donations from individual citizens. His team says that between July and September, they received three times as many small donations as their opponent, with 97% of them being under $100.
Who is James Talarico?
Talarico uses his religion and training as a Presbyterian pastor as a driving force in his campaign. He advocates progressive positions and often criticizes his conservative opponents on the basis of religion.
Talarico himself grew up in a poor family. His mother raised him alone after leaving his father, whom he describes as an alcoholic and abusive. He has been involved in the church since he was a child, and his grandfather was a Baptist pastor. In 2011, he began working as a teacher, but in 2018, when he was just 29, he became a representative in the Texas state congress.
During his four terms in the Republican-dominated Texas House of Representatives, Tallarico has opposed attempts to restrict voting rights and extend and enforce the abortion ban. He has worked to pass laws to import cheaper drugs from Canada and to limit the monthly price of insulin. Tallarico himself is diabetic.
In the campaign, Tallarico, who was not a widely recognizable figure, managed to establish himself with his fiery speeches in which he downplayed the differences between Democrats and Republicans. "The division is not between left and right, but between those at the top and those at the bottom," he repeats, and his critics accuse him of populism. For him, the symbol of "those at the top" is his opponent - Ken Paxton, whom he calls "the most corrupt politician in Texas".
Who is Ken Paxton?
Donald Trump chose to support Ken Paxton as the Republican candidate in the state, who was fighting for the party's nomination with long-time Senator John Cornyn. According to the American president, Cornyn has not supported him enough over the years, so his ally Paxton deserves the position.
There is no shortage of scandals surrounding Paxton, who has been the attorney general of Texas since 2015. In 2023, he was impeached on charges of abuse of office. In 2020, his employees accused him of using his position to help an influential businessman. The FBI launched an investigation, but he was never charged.
Just two weeks ago, the “Wall Street Journal” published a video showing Paxton celebrating New Year's Eve in Dubai in 2024 with Anosh Ahmed and Samir Suhail, who are fugitives from justice in the United States. The two men were at the time charged with embezzling $15 million from a Chicago hospital where Ahmed was chief financial officer. He donated $190,000 to Paxton's campaign.
Paxton is an ultraconservative, fiercely opposed to abortion and LGBTI rights. The attacks against Talarico in recent weeks have been in precisely this direction - according to the ads against him, he has supported gender reassignment surgeries for children, which the Democrat disputes.
Immigration, corruption, healthcare, but above all - the economy
According to a recent Emerson College survey, 16% of Texas voters place immigration as the top issue - a topic where Paxton is seen as stronger. At the same time, for 13% the most important is the threat to democracy, and for 9% - health care. That is where Tallarico's strength lies.
But one issue is leading - the economy, indicated by nearly 39% of Texans as the most crucial for them. 47% believe that Paxton is more competent there, and 46% - Tallarico. 6% have not yet decided. It is they who will determine whether Texas will bring a historic victory to the Democrats.
Source: www.dw.com