Trump visits Texas, joins former football stars to rally support for Senate candidate Ken Paxton

President Donald Trump arrived in Corpus Christi, Texas, for a rally aimed at energizing Republican voters ahead of the November election. The event featured former college football quarterbacks Johnny Manziel and Colt McCoy, as well as two-time Super Bowl champion Danny Amendola, according to a White House official. Trump is scheduled to travel later to Lubbock, where a separate rally by Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico will take place nearby.

The Senate contest between Attorney General Ken Paxton and Talarico has become one of the most expensive in U.S. history, with nearly $560 million spent on advertisements, according to ad-tracking data. Republicans have contributed roughly $400 million of that total, and Paxton’s campaign benefits from significant outside super PAC support, including a $158 million contribution from a SpaceX and Tesla CEO-led group.

Polling data from MS NOW/FiftyPlusOne shows Talarico holding a slight lead, 49.2 % to Paxton’s 46.5 %. GOP strategists highlighted the importance of high voter turnout in Texas, noting that increased participation could limit Democratic prospects in statewide races. The campaign’s focus includes the 34th Congressional District, where Trump won the 2024 presidential vote but a Democrat was elected to the House, making it a target for Republican investment.

"Lubbock is a chance for us to juice turnout in a red area," said a GOP strategist familiar with midterm strategy.

"Texas is a state where the more people turn out, Dems don’t have the path to victory," the strategist added.

Trump’s appearance is part of a broader effort to mobilize his base in the final days of the midterm campaign, with the president’s endorsement seen as a key factor in Republican races across the state.