Talarico Projected to Defeat Paxton in Texas
Democrat James Talarico is projected to win the Texas U.S. Senate race over Republican Ken Paxton, a first for a Texas Democrat in a Senate seat since 1988.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Elections
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Democrat James Talarico was projected to defeat Republican Ken Paxton in the Texas U.S. Senate race on November 3, 2026. The projection would make Talarico the first Democrat to win a Texas statewide race since 1994.
Why it matters
Paxton, who defeated incumbent Sen. John Cornyn in the Republican primary, had the backing of President Donald Trump and hundreds of millions of dollars in support from Elon Musk. The result marks a notable shift in a state where Democrats have not won a U.S. Senate seat since 1988.
The projection would end a Democratic drought in Texas U.S. Senate races dating to 1988, according to the election-night projection. Final vote totals and margin figures were not included in the available extraction.
The players
James Talarico
Democratic candidate projected to win the Texas U.S. Senate race.
Ken Paxton
Republican candidate who lost the Texas U.S. Senate race projection after defeating Sen. John Cornyn in the Republican primary.
Donald Trump
The current President of the United States, who backed Paxton in the Texas Senate race.
The details
Paxton defeated incumbent Sen. John Cornyn in the Republican primary before facing Talarico in the general election. Paxton was previously impeached by the Texas state legislature, and his wife filed for divorce on "biblical grounds."
Timeline
November 3, 2026: Election night, when the Texas Senate race projection was made.
Political Context
Texas has not elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate since 1988, so a Talarico win would mark a break from that long-running pattern. Republican opposition to the outcome was not detailed in the available extraction.
A Talarico win would change Texas's Senate delegation and could affect how Texas votes on federal legislation in the coming term. Voters in the state will see the immediate effect of this result in Washington policymaking.
The takeaway
Election results in competitive states can shift long-standing partisan patterns, as the projected Texas Senate outcome illustrates. Readers following federal races should watch certified totals and final margins once they are released.
Further reading
Explore more on Elections for the broader context behind Texas's 2026 Senate contest.
Source note: This article includes information reported by New City Daily Voice.
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