James Talarico Leads Ken Paxton in Texas Senate Race

Democratic nominee James Talarico maintains a narrow lead over Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton in the race for the Texas US Senate. A Texas Pulse/Texas A&M Bush School poll released August 7 shows Talarico with 47 percent support compared to Paxton's 43 percent, a result that falls within the 4.7-percentage-point margin of error. This finding aligns with three prior polls from Texas Southern University, Fox News, and the Texas Public Opinion Research poll.

Talarico has gained momentum among independent voters and seen strength in Austin and the Dallas/Fort Worth regions. His campaign focuses on affordability and raising the federal minimum wage. Conversely, Paxton leads in rural areas and maintains a stronger perception regarding border security, while his own platform emphasizes tax deductions for medical expenses and homebuyers.

The Senate contest is part of a tighter political landscape in Texas ahead of the November midterms. Republican incumbent Governor Greg Abbott holds a slim lead over Democratic state Representative Gina Hinojosa, with some polls showing the gap narrowed to a single point. Democrats are pursuing these seats as part of a strategy to retake both chambers of Congress to block the agenda of President Donald Trump during the final two years of his term.