Texas Senate race tightens as polls favor Talarico and controversies hit Paxton
On 18 October, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, endorsed by President Donald Trump, faced a tight Senate race as fresh allegations surfaced and a new poll showed Democrat James Talarico ahead. Earlier, President Trump warned that a loss for Paxton could be blamed on Sen. John Cornyn and strategist Karl Rove, a claim Rove dismissed as uninterested.
Senator Ted Cruz campaigned for Paxton, while a University of Texas poll released on 5 October placed Talarico slightly ahead, and a late-October poll similarly showed the Democrat leading. An InsiderAdvantage poll later found Paxton holding a narrow lead within the margin of error, and a CBS News/YouGov poll reported the race virtually tied, with turnout and economic concerns seen as decisive. Fundraising reports indicated Talarico raised $64 million in the third quarter, bringing his total to $134 million, whereas Paxton raised $18 million in the same period.
