Democrat James Talarico bids to turn Texas blue in Senate race

Summarised from 4 outlets · Updated 2 Nov, 16:51 · Archive

Democrat James Talarico is running for US Senate in Texas, seeking to become the first member of his party to win the seat since 1988.

Democrat James Talarico, a 37-year-old former teacher and four-term state representative, is running for US Senate in Texas against Republican incumbent Ken Paxton. He is seeking to become the first Democrat to win a Senate seat in the state in 38 years, a feat not achieved since 1988.

Talarico, a Presbyterian seminarian, has drawn support from various voters. Al Jazeera reports that he drew a packed rally at Texas A&M, where the enthusiasm for his campaign was evident, though young voters expressed varied concerns. France 24 reports that his campaign is even winning over some Donald Trump voters. Former Democratic state senator Wendy Davis has backed him, recalling that when she first heard him speak at a fundraising event in Austin years ago, she recognised something distinctive about him.

His opponent, Ken Paxton, is the state attorney general and a Trump ally. France 24 describes Paxton as a controversial figure in the Republican Party. Paxton has financial backing from tech billionaire Elon Musk.

The final stretch of the campaign has been marked by attacks on Talarico from prominent Republicans. Trump rallied in Texas and referred to him as 'James Talafreako'. JD Vance implied that Talarico is gay. The Guardian reports that rightwing influencers spread a baseless claim that Talarico checked into a mental health clinic in Ohio; he was actually ill with flu.

Most opinion polls give Talarico a narrow edge heading into the election. Voters will decide the race on Tuesday.

How it is being reported

• Texas voters weigh in on high-stakes Senate race between James Talarico and Ken PaxtonAdriana Diaz spoke with Texas voters ahead of the state's high-stakes Senate race between James Talarico and Ken Paxton.CBS News · 2 Nov, 15:21
• ‘Smart, articulate and guided by his heart’: James Talarico’s journey from teacher to potential Texas senatorThe Texan could pull off a historic victory in the Lone Star state, which hasn’t elected a Democratic senator since 1988 When a young, untested former school teacher stood up to address a modest gathering of local donors in Austin, the state capital of Texas, Wendy Davis felt sorry for him. “Poor kid,” she remembers thinking. Then James Talarico began speaking. “He was like five or six sentences in and I knew that something was different about him,” recalls Davis, a former Democratic state senator. “He was as articulate and unique then as he is now. From that day, I started calling him ‘Baby…The Guardian · 2 Nov, 13:00
• US midterms: Could Senate candidate James Talarico turn Texas blue?In Texas, a Democrat hopes to achieve a feat not seen in the state for 38 years: winning a seat in the US Senate. James Talarico, a young elected official who openly and proudly professes his Christian faith, is facing off against Ken Paxton, a controversial figure in the Republican Party. And his campaign is even winning over some of Donald Trump’s voters.France 24 · 2 Nov, 10:30
• Talarico draws a packed campus rally, but can he win over young voters?Al Jazeera’s @EmmaWithrow attended a packed rally for Democrat Senate Candidate James Talarico at Texas A&M.Al Jazeera · 1 Nov, 01:14

In this story: James Talarico · Ken Paxton · Texas · Donald Trump · Elon Musk · Wendy Davis · JD Vance

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem · Corrections log