Talarico Trails Paxton in Tight Texas Senate Race

CNN anchors on election night highlighted Republican struggles in Texas and other states as Democrat James Talarico contested the seat.

Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Elections

Talarico Trails Paxton in Tight Texas Senate Race

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On election night, CNN anchors discussed Republican difficulties in Texas and elsewhere while Democrat James Talarico was in a tight contest with Republican Ken Paxton for the Texas Senate seat. The race had not been called by 10:45 p.m. ET.

Why it matters

A Democrat has not won a Texas Senate race in 38 years, making a competitive contest notable for the state. The outcome also reflects the GOP's broader challenges in several states, including North Carolina and South Carolina.

Talarico's county-level leads in Nueces and Kleberg counties ran against Trump's prior margins of 11 and 13 points, respectively. The final statewide tally remained unknown when the race was still uncalled.

The players

James Talarico

Democratic candidate for the Texas Senate who was in a close race against Republican Ken Paxton on election night.

Ken Paxton

Republican candidate for the Texas Senate who defeated incumbent Senator John Cornyn in a May runoff after Trump's endorsement.

Donald Trump

Current President of the United States, who endorsed Paxton one week before the May runoff vote.

The details

Paxton defeated incumbent Senator John Cornyn in a May Republican runoff after Trump endorsed him one week before the vote. Paxton has faced scrutiny over sparse rally crowds and campaign missteps, while Democrats also flipped or contested seats in South Carolina, North Carolina, and Iowa.

May 2026: Paxton defeated Cornyn in the Texas Senate Republican runoff.
November 3, 2026: Election night, with the Texas Senate race not yet called by 10:45 p.m. ET.

Political Context

The Texas race is measured against a 38-year streak without a Democratic Senate win, and the extraction leaves that streak intact pending the final count. Opposition concerns on the Republican side centered on Paxton's campaign performance, which Democrats sought to exploit.

Texas voters are waiting on a final result that will determine the state's Senate representation. Residents in the state should monitor official county tallies, since the race remained uncalled at the time of reporting.

The takeaway

Close Senate races in traditionally Republican states can shift quickly as county-level results come in, so readers should wait for certified totals before drawing conclusions.