Democrat James Talarico wins Texas Senate seat, beating Trump-backed Ken Paxton

A Democratic gain in a Republican state

Democrat James Talarico won the US Senate seat in Texas on Tuesday, 3 November 2026, defeating Republican Ken Paxton. Decision Desk HQ made the projection, and El País reported that AP projected Talarico at 59.4% of the vote, with 66.1% of ballots counted at the time of that report. Open notes that Lloyd Bentsen, elected in 1988, was the last Democrat to win a Senate seat in Texas. ANSA reports the win came at the expense of the sitting senator, John Cornyn, and that Paxton had the backing of Donald Trump.

Who Talarico is

Talarico, 37, was born on 17 May 1989 in Round Rock, Texas, according to La Stampa. He studied government at the University of Texas and attended Harvard Divinity School, and after joining Teach for America he taught middle school. Open says he taught at a public school in San Antonio. He was elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 2018, at age 29, and has since focused on public education, health care, wages and inequality. El País describes him as a moderate progressive and a Presbyterian seminarian. Open reports that podcaster Joe Rogan suggested he run for president after an interview with him.

Campaign themes and voters

Talarico built his campaign on the cost of living, access to health care, schools and wages, according to La Stampa. El País lists plans for affordable health insurance, higher taxes on corporations, limits on corporate donations to campaigns and better teacher training. El País also says he made immigration reform, including a path to legal status for long-term residents, a priority. AGI reports that he accused ICE of having become a secret police force serving Trump, and proposed banning agents from covering their faces, requiring body cameras and setting tougher experience requirements. AGI notes that Latinos make up nearly a third of the Texas electorate, and that Talarico sought to win back voters who shifted to Trump in 2024 by pointing to economic hardship.

Paxton and a costly race

Paxton served as Texas attorney general from 2015 to 2025, according to La Stampa. El País reports that Talarico reminded voters of corruption accusations against Paxton and of his divorce. Open describes a particularly expensive campaign in which Elon Musk made large contributions to support Paxton. El País compares the result with 2018, when Ted Cruz won 50.89% of the vote against 48.33% for Beto O'Rourke, and says Democrats had sought to close that gap for years.

Ted Cruz (R), 201850.89%

Beto O'Rourke (D), 201848.33%

Ted Cruz (R), 2018

50.89 %

Beto O'Rourke (D), 2018

48.33 %

Data from the article text

What comes next

El País says Talarico will hold the seat for six years. La Stampa notes that Texas has voted Republican in presidential elections for decades, which makes the Senate result a notable test for Democrats in the state. Talarico's stated priorities include immigration reform and tighter rules for ICE agents, according to AGI. Those proposals will now be his agenda in Washington.