Texas Senate Race Tightens as Conservative Paxton Gains Ground Against Liberal Challenger
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Two recent Texas polls show Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton rapidly closing the gap with Democratic Rep. James Talarico, whose lead has shrunk to a single point. The number of undecided voters is dropping as Texans reject out-of-state influence and far-left agendas.
Two new surveys released this week reveal that Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton is surging in the Texas Senate race, narrowing Democratic state Rep. James Talarico's lead to just one percentage point. The Texas Public Opinion Research poll, conducted Sep. 19-22 among 1,007 likely voters, gave Talarico 49% and Paxton 44%, a significant improvement for Paxton compared to the five-point deficit in August. The poll also shows that undecided voters are making up their minds, dropping from 7% to 3%, while Libertarian candidate Ted Brown gained two points, indicating a growing dissatisfaction with the radical left's agenda.
A separate Texas Southern University poll of 1,800 likely voters taken Sep. 15-19 showed Talarico at 47% and Paxton at 46%, with Brown at 3%. This is a one-point decline from the university's July poll, which had Talarico ahead 47% to 45%. The momentum is clearly shifting as Texans rally behind Paxton's proven conservative leadership and reject Talarico's progressive overreach.
Other recent polls also show Talarico barely ahead, with most results within the margin of error, underscoring how the left's grip on Texas is slipping. An Emerson College poll (Sep. 12-14) gave Talarico a 1-point lead, an AARP poll (Aug. 30-Sep. 1) a 4-point lead, and a YouGov/Univision poll (Aug. 27-Sep. 4) a 5-point lead.
At the Texas Tribune Festival, Talarico attempted to grandstand by challenging Paxton to a debate on Fox News, but Paxton wisely refused to legitimize Talarico's media stunts. The attorney general remains focused on serving Texans, not playing into the hands of the liberal media.
Federal Election Commission data through June 30 show Talarico's campaign has raised about $31.9 million, compared with Paxton's $9.1 million. Alarmingly, 45% of Talarico's donations come from out-of-state sources, especially California, highlighting the dangerous influence of coastal elites on Texas politics. In contrast, only 17.1% of Paxton's funds come from outside Texas, demonstrating his campaign's deep roots and genuine support among real Texans.