Texas Senate Race: Talarico and Paxton in Tight Contest as National Money Pours In

James Talarico, a Democratic state legislator, is challenging Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton for a U.S. Senate seat in Texas, in a race that multiple outlets describe as closely watched and competitive. A Fox News poll released around August 1, 2026 found Talarico leading Paxton 51 percent to 48 percent among surveyed voters, a result reported as notable given Republicans' recent dominance in Texas statewide races. Talarico has campaigned along the Texas-Mexico border seeking to regain support among Hispanic voters who shifted toward the GOP in recent elections, according to reporting from ABC News and the Associated Press. PBS NewsHour's coverageframed the race around whether Paxton, who has faced years of scandals, could be unseated by Talarico's challenge. By September 2026, financial dynamics in the race shifted as Republican-aligned groups increased spending after a period of relative inaction. The New York Times reported that a group allied with Senate GOP leadership booked more than $51 million in advertising, giving Paxton a financial advantage after months in which he had been outspent by Talarico's campaign. Separately, Fox News reported that MAGA Inc., a group linked to Donald Trump, committed $10 million in ads supporting Paxton against Talarico, characterizing the contest as "neck and neck." These reports collectively indicate a late-cycle mobilization of national Republican financial resources behind Paxton's campaign. The overall outcome of the race remains unresolved as of the reporting period, with no election results included in available coverage. The degree to which Talarico's border outreach has changed voter sentiment among Hispanic voters is not quantified in the reporting. Polling beyond the single Fox News survey was not corroborated by other outlets, so the extent of Talarico's lead, or whether it persisted through September, is unconfirmed. A separate CBS Texas report on a legislative hearing regarding data center facilities was not clearly connected to the Senate race and appears to be a distinct, unrelated news item included in the same set.