Talarico Defeats Paxton in Texas Senate Upset
On November 3, Texas state representative James Talarico defeated Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton in a Senate race that made him the first Democrat to hold the state’s Senate seat since 1994. The contest became the most expensive Senate race in U.S. history and brought Democrats one seat closer to control of the Senate.
Talarico, a 37-year-old seminarian, made corruption and the cost of living central to his campaign. He argued that wealthy donors were influencing politics and the economy, and singled out Elon Musk, whose support for Paxton included at least $212 million in spending. Paxton’s campaign was largely carried out through outside groups and advertising; he gave few interviews and declined to debate Talarico.
Republican ads also targeted Talarico over transgender rights. One ad claimed he supported jailing parents who opposed gender-affirming surgeries for minors. Talarico had previously opposed restrictions on transgender athletes, but said during the campaign that he would back limits on participation in girls’ sports if safety or fairness were at risk. He also said he would vote for a national ban on gender-affirming surgeries for minors.
Talarico’s campaign used his Christian faith in discussing abortion and LGBTQ+ rights, while centering affordability and corruption. Voters interviewed during the campaign raised concerns about transgender policies as well as everyday costs, including gas prices. Democrat Gina Hinojosa also defeated Republican Governor Greg Abbott in the election.
Texas Voters Reject Billionaire-Funded Anti-Trans Attacks
On November 3, Texas voters sent Democrat James Talarico to the U.S. Senate, rejecting Republican Ken Paxton despite a campaign that put transgender rights at the center of attack advertising. Talarico’s victory makes him the first Texas Democrat to hold a Senate seat since 1994.
The campaign’s anti-trans ads included a claim that Talarico wanted parents jailed for opposing gender-affirming surgeries for minors. Talarico had backed transgender students’ participation in youth sports, but during the campaign said he would support limits on girls’ sports participation when safety or fairness was at stake. He also said he would vote for a national ban on gender-affirming surgeries for minors.
The spending behind Paxton’s campaign was enormous. Elon Musk provided at least $212 million in support, while Republicans spent $78 million on anti-trans ads, which accounted for nearly half of the advertising supporting Paxton. Yet the attacks did not overcome voters’ concerns about affordability and political corruption.
Talarico argued that wealthy donors were buying political influence and shaping the economy for their own benefit. His win shows the limits of a campaign built around fear of transgender people when voters are also weighing the cost of everyday life. Democrat Gina Hinojosa also defeated Republican Governor Greg Abbott in the election.
Texas Elects Talarico After He Softens Stances on Trans Issues
On November 3, Democrat James Talarico defeated Republican Ken Paxton in Texas, becoming the state’s first Democratic U.S. senator since 1994. The result came after a race in which Paxton’s campaign repeatedly highlighted Talarico’s record on transgender rights and the implications of his positions for children and parents.
Talarico had opposed bans on transgender athletes in youth sports and drew Republican criticism for saying God is nonbinary. During the campaign, however, he told Fox News he would support restrictions on transgender students playing girls’ sports if safety or fairness were threatened. He also said he would vote for a national ban on gender-affirming surgeries for minors.
Those shifts did not erase concerns among some voters. Republican voters interviewed during the campaign said they feared Talarico would support policies allowing minors to transition or penalizing parents who objected. Ads supporting Paxton amplified those concerns, including one that claimed Talarico favored jailing parents.
Talarico focused much of his campaign on corruption, affordability and the influence of wealthy donors, while Paxton received at least $212 million in support from Elon Musk. The race’s outcome shows that those economic messages prevailed over Paxton’s effort to make Talarico’s past positions a defining issue. Democrat Gina Hinojosa also defeated Republican Governor Greg Abbott in the election.
Reported by The 19th, Mother Jones, The Intercept, Daily Mail US.
