James Talarico Defeats Trump-Backed Ken Paxton in Texas Senate Race, Ends 38-Year Democratic Drought

James Talarico Defeats Ken Paxton in Texas, Ends 38-Year Democratic Senate Drought

Democrat James Talarico has registered a historic victory in the 2026 US midterm elections, defeating Republican candidate Ken Paxton in Texas and ending his party’s nearly four-decade-long wait for a US Senate win in the state.

The Associated Press called the race for Talarico on Tuesday night (local time). His victory marks a significant shift in Texas politics, given that Republican President Donald Trump won the state by nearly 14 percentage points in the 2024 presidential election.

Democrats Return to Victory in Texas Senate Race

The last Democrat to win a US Senate election in Texas was Lloyd Bentsen, who secured re-election in 1988. The party has also faced a prolonged struggle in statewide contests, with its most recent victory in such an election dating back to 1994.

Paxton, Texas’s attorney general and a prominent Trump ally, entered the race with the backing of the president after defeating incumbent Republican Senator John Cornyn in a contentious primary. Trump and Vice-President JD Vance also campaigned in the state to strengthen Republican support.

Who Is James Talarico?

The 37-year-old Talarico, a Texas state representative, focused his campaign on rising living costs, political accountability and challenging the influence of wealthy donors and corporate interests.

A former middle-school teacher and Presbyterian seminarian, he sought to appeal to voters beyond the Democratic Party’s traditional support base. During the campaign, he presented Paxton as an example of a political system shaped by powerful financial interests.

Paxton, in turn, portrayed Talarico as a radical liberal and repeatedly targeted his religious and social positions during the campaign.

Paxton’s Record Became a Campaign Issue

Paxton’s tenure as Texas attorney general also came under scrutiny. In 2023, the Republican-controlled Texas House impeached him over allegations of corruption and abuse of power. He was subsequently acquitted by the state Senate.

The Senate contest became one of the most expensive in US electoral history, with advertising expenditure crossing $500 million, according to estimates cited by The Guardian.

Talarico’s fundraising efforts helped him compete against the Republican spending advantage. Meanwhile, Trump and other senior Republican leaders continued to campaign for Paxton, making the result a closely watched contest in the 2026 midterm elections.