Texas Candidates Sprint Toward Election Day in Record-Spending Races
Governor Greg Abbott and Senate candidate Ken Paxton face tight races in Texas as outside spending in the Senate contest hits a record $573 million.
Candidates for Governor and the U.S. Senate are conducting final campaign sprints across Texas ahead of Tuesday's Election Day. In the gubernatorial race, Greg Abbott holds a narrow lead of 50% over Democratic challenger Gina Hinojosa at 47%, according to a Texas Southern University study. Abbott is campaigning on tax cuts, border security, and social issues, while Hinojosa is emphasizing the importance of public education.
The U.S. Senate race between Democrat James Talarico and Republican Ken Paxton has become the most expensive non-presidential contest in U.S. history, with advertising spending and reservations reaching $573 million. Republican advertisers outspent Democrats by $140.7 million, driven largely by the Senate Leadership Fund, which spent $182.1 million. Talarico has criticized this volume of outside spending, while Paxton has characterized the contest as an existential struggle for the future of the United States.
Recent polling shows Talarico leading Paxton, with figures ranging from 49% to 50% against Paxton's 43% to 47%. During separate rallies in San Antonio, Talarico proposed higher taxes on corporations and a ban on congressional stock trading. Paxton advocated for deregulation and the expansion of the oil and gas industry. Early voting numbers in Bexar County are expected to exceed those from the 2024 presidential election.
