Democrats haven’t won a statewide election in over 30 years, but state Rep. James Talarico (D-Austin) is hoping to change that. The Democratic nominee for US Senate will face Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton in the Nov. 3 election. Talarico continues to lead Paxton—who trailed behind incumbent Sen. John Cornyn in the Republican primary in March but won by a significant margin in the May runoff after an endorsement from Trump—in numerous polls.
Here’s everything to know about the 2026 Texas Senate race:
What to know about Ken Paxton
Ken Paxton’s misconduct will cost Texas taxpayers north of $12 million in total
Ken Paxton became the first Texas attorney general in state history to be impeached by his own party in 2023. Now, residents are footing the bill for the impeachment as well as a state audit, a court judgment, and years of legal invoices.
Ken Paxton makes $153,000 a year. He owns 15 properties worth $9 million
Where does the money come from?
Ken Paxton withheld rental income and mortgages from financial disclosures
Paxton appears to have violated federal ethics law, a joint investigation finds.
Ken Paxton ran against Washington. Now he says DC is running his campaign
In leaked audio from a private fundraiser, the Republican Senate nominee Ken Paxton says he doesn’t “control message or what we’re doing.”
Paxton’s private remarks keep leaking. Here’s what they reveal about his campaign
In less than two weeks, five news outlets have published the Republican Senate nominee’s private remarks to donors and lobbyists. Experts say the steady drip has knocked his campaign off message.
Who supports Ken Paxton?
Ken Paxton campaigns with Republican who called women ‘fat bi*ches’ and children ‘c*m trophies’
Brandon Herrera has described women as “fat bitches,” children as “cum trophies,” and mocked the epidemic of veteran suicide. Then, he shared a stage with Ken Paxton.
Paul Pressler was accused of sexually abusing 8 children. Ken Paxton took his money anyway
Paxton continued to take campaign donations and praised the disgraced Southern Baptist leader after allegations of sexual abuse against him came to light.
While Paxton’s allies hunted for Talarico, video surfaced of Paxton in Dubai
While Paxton’s allies pushed a false rumor about James Talarico’s whereabouts, The Wall Street Journal revealed the Republican Senate nominee rang in 2025 with two men who had skipped out on federal fraud charges, one of them a $190,000 donor.
Ken Paxton took Kalshi’s money, then sat out efforts to regulate it
The popular prediction market platform and its CEO donated to Paxton’s US Senate campaign. He skipped two multistate efforts to regulate it, Politico reports.
DC Republicans flood Texas with $54 million to rescue Ken Paxton’s campaign
National Republicans are rushing to salvage Paxton’s campaign as new polling shows him trailing Talarico.
Ken Paxton cozy with judge who sealed his depositions
Judge Cynthia Wheless sealed two of Ken Paxton’s depositions; her husband, a fellow judge, sealed the Paxtons’ divorce. Both have donated to the Paxtons’ campaigns.
Who supports James Talarico?
These Texas musicians are endorsing James Talarico
Several notable Texas-native musicians have thrown their support behind Talarico, including Don Henley, The Chicks, and Willie Nelson.
Nation’s largest Gen Z voter group is going all in for James Talarico
Voters of Tomorrow—which reached more than 34 million voters last cycle—is launching phonebanks and new outreach efforts to bring young Texans to the polls.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Texas Senate election?
Early voting begins Oct. 19 and extends through Oct. 30. Nov. 3 is the last day to vote in the 2026 general election.
Who is running for US Senate in Texas?
There are three candidates on the ballot for US Senate: James Talarico (D), Ken Paxton (R), and Ted Brown (L).
Who is James Talarico?
First elected to the Texas House in 2018, James Talarico has built a reputation as one of the chamber’s most effective Democratic legislators in a body dominated by Republicans. He passed 60 bills into law, often working across the aisle—including legislation on mental health, capping the price of insulin, education funding, and criminal justice reform—making him one of the few Democrats in the Texas House with a meaningful legislative record. He resigned his seat in March to run for Senate full time.
Who is Ken Paxton?
A fixture of Texas Republican politics for more than two decades, Ken Paxton has served in the Texas House, the Texas Senate, and as attorney general since 2015, making a name for himself by filing over 100 lawsuits against the Biden-Harris administration. He is also one of the most legally embattled politicians in Texas history.
Why isn’t John Cornyn on the ballot?
Paxton defeated incumbent US Sen. John Cornyn in a bitter Republican primary runoff in May, buoyed by a Trump endorsement and MAGA insurgency that labeled Cornyn a RINO for only voting for the president’s agenda 99% of the time.
Get ready to vote
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