People · News
Talarico topples Paxton, ends Texas Democrats' 38-year Senate drought
The 37-year-old former teacher won by about 12 points in the most expensive Senate race on record.
Democrat James Talarico defeated Republican Ken Paxton for U.S. Senate in Texas, 55.1% to 43.0% with 99% of the expected vote counted. It is the first Democratic statewide win in Texas since 1994 and the first Democratic Senate win there since 1988, per The Texas Tribune.
Texas just elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate. State Rep. James Talarico beat Attorney General Ken Paxton 55.1% to 43.0%, a margin of 1,195,369 votes with 99% of the expected vote counted, according to Exa's election results page.
A drought ends
The Texas Tribune called it "a political earthquake," reporting that the win gives Democrats their first statewide victory in Texas since 1994 and their first U.S. Senate win there since 1988. Talarico, a 37-year-old four-term legislator from Austin and former middle school teacher, will take the seat held by Sen. John Cornyn, whom Paxton beat in the May primary, the Tribune reported.
Money couldn't buy it
The Tribune reported Republicans poured over $280 million into advertising, including over $200 million from Elon Musk, making it the most expensive U.S. Senate contest on record. (CBS News separately reported Musk spent more than $150 million backing Paxton.) Talarico's response, per CBS: "The people of Texas delivered a crystal-clear message to the world's first trillionaire: Texas is not for sale."
In his victory speech he said, "We were the underdogs in this race," and added, "This is a win the size of Texas; now we have a mandate the size of Texas," according to the Tribune. On X he put it more simply: "We just took back Texas."
Paxton concedes
Paxton conceded shortly before 10:30 p.m. local time. "Let me start off by congratulating James Talarico," he said, adding he would pray for him, the Tribune reported. Cornyn also congratulated Talarico and offered help with the transition.
Why he won
Voters were not buying Paxton. In NBC News' exit poll, only 34% of Texas voters thought positively of Paxton's personal character, while 52% viewed Talarico favorably. Talarico ran on the argument that America's real divide is between the wealthy and everyone else, per the Tribune, and he spent the summer on TV introducing himself to independents and Cornyn voters.
His coattails were long. Democrat Gina Hinojosa unseated Gov. Greg Abbott, and Democrats won the attorney general and comptroller races and the Texas House, according to Ballotpedia.
Sources
- 2026 Texas U.S. Senate Class II general election results — Exa Election Library
- James Talarico defeats Ken Paxton in Texas' U.S. Senate race — The Texas Tribune
- 2026 Senate midterm election results as Democrats win control — CBS News
- NBC News Exit Poll: Democrats' victory, Trump and the economy — NBC News
- Election results, 2026 — Ballotpedia
- Post by James Talarico on X — X