On stage in Austin, James Talarico spoke of David and Goliath. At just 37, the Democrat defeated Republican Ken Paxton in the race for the U.S. Senate from Texas, ending more than 30 years without a Democratic victory at the state level.
“Tonight, we defeated Goliath,” Talarico told his jubilant supporters. His victory speech was filled with biblical references and calls for unity. At the heart of his message was a promise of a “politics of love” instead of political division.
The result is one of the most significant outcomes of the U.S. midterm elections. It came in a state that is among the country’s strongest Republican strongholds. Donald Trump won Texas by a 14-percentage-point margin in 2024, while Democrats had not won a statewide election in more than three decades.
Former Teacher With Religious Rhetoric
Talarico is a former teacher and has been a member of the Texas Legislature since 2018. His campaign focused on issues such as economic inequality, corruption and the high cost of living. He presented himself as a representative of a new generation of Democrats and sought support among independent voters and Republicans disillusioned with Trump.
The politician is a Presbyterian seminarian and places his Christian faith at the center of his public life. At the same time, his support for abortion rights and the rights of the LGBTQ+ community drew criticism from conservative Christians.
His victory coincided with Democrat Gina Hinojosa’s success in the race for governor. When U.S. media outlets called the results, thousands of voters gathered at a theater in Austin celebrated the simultaneous rejection of Republican dominance in the state.
Against a Trump Ally
Ken Paxton, 63, is the attorney general of Texas and a close ally of Donald Trump. The Republican faced impeachment proceedings in the state legislature in 2023 over allegations of corruption and abuse of power, which he denies. The divorce sought by his wife in 2025 for “biblical reasons” also drew him into a political and personal scandal.
Donald Trump visited Texas four times since the beginning of October in an attempt to help his candidate. His Republican backers invested significant sums in the campaign, while Elon Musk spent more than $200 million in support of Paxton.
“We just proved that all the money in the world cannot compare with Texans,” Talarico said after his victory. Outgoing Republican Senator John Cornyn, who did not receive Trump’s endorsement in the primary, congratulated the Democrat and said he was ready to assist him during the transition period.
Sources: bta.bg