What Changed

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MIDTERMS 2026 - SENATE

Texas

TOSS UP R-held - Open: Cornyn lost the primary

CALLED: Democrat wins

DEMOCRAT

James Talarico

Newzino coverage of Talarico

Texas state representative from the Round Rock area, a former teacher and Presbyterian seminarian. source

REPUBLICAN

Ken Paxton

Newzino coverage of Paxton

Texas attorney general since 2015; the Texas House impeached him in 2023 and the state Senate acquitted him. source

Where they differ

Only issues they disagree on. Each position is something the candidate said, voted for or published, linked to where.

Abortion

TALARICO

Wants to codify Roe v. Wade and protect contraception and IVF; says the Texas ban is killing women. source

PAXTON

As attorney general, sued out-of-state doctors and providers accused of mailing abortion pills to Texans. source

Health care / ACA

TALARICO

Would protect the ACA, restore its enhanced tax credits, and let people of any age buy into Medicare. source

PAXTON

Led the 2018 multistate lawsuit to strike down the ACA, which the Supreme Court rejected 7-2 in 2021. source

Immigration

TALARICO

Backs a path to citizenship for long-term immigrants, spouses and DREAMers, with deportation aimed at criminals. source

PAXTON

Pledges to help Trump "finish the border wall" and deport criminal illegal immigrants; championed Texas' SB 4 enforcement law. source

Taxes

TALARICO

Would raise the corporate tax rate and raise taxes on billionaires' income and capital gains. source

PAXTON

Pledges to "fight to cut taxes and stop the wasteful spending." source

Guns

TALARICO

Wants universal background checks and a higher minimum age to buy some semi-automatic rifles. source

PAXTON

Led a 2024 multistate suit that blocked an ATF rule extending dealer licensing and background checks to more private sellers. source

School vouchers

TALARICO

Voted against Texas' private-school voucher program and proposed sending it to voters. source

PAXTON

Defended the voucher program as attorney general and sued districts that discussed its budget impact. source

Ten Commandments in classrooms

TALARICO

Called the state's Ten Commandments poster mandate "un-Christian" and opposes government-imposed religion. source

PAXTON

Defended the mandate in court and called the Fifth Circuit ruling a "major victory for Texas." source

The money

Each campaign's own filings with the Federal Election Commission, for the whole 2026 cycle. Reports are filed on different days, so check the date under each name.

RAISED

Talarico $129M

Paxton $19.5M

SPENT

Talarico $114M

Paxton $14.6M

CASH LEFT

Talarico $14.6M

Paxton $4.9M

Talarico: through 2026-09-30; Paxton: through 2026-09-30. Source: FEC, read 2026-10-23.

Outside groups

Money super PACs, parties and other groups reported spending on their own to help or hurt each candidate.

James Talarico

to help $4.4M

to hurt $1.3M

Ken Paxton

to help $1.4M

to hurt $26.9M

Independent expenditures reported to the FEC for the 2026 cycle, primary included. Groups that do not have to report (some issue ads) are not counted.

Latest polling

University of Houston Hobby School (Oct 10-14, 2026, 2,000 likely voters, +/-2.9): Talarico 48%, Paxton 46%, Libertarian Ted Brown 3%. source

Texas right now

How the state is doing going into the vote, from the people who count it.

JOBLESS RATE

4.4%

US: 4.2%

September 2026, seasonally adjusted, preliminary. Source: BLS

GAS, REGULAR

$3.71

US: $4.27

State average on 2026-10-27. Source: AAA

From Newzino in Texas

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Photos from Wikimedia Commons: James Talarico by Antonioaesparza, CC BY-SA 4.0; Ken Paxton by Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Positions checked 2026-10-23. Things they agree on are left out on purpose. Spot something wrong? Use the feedback button and we will fix it.