Trump campaigns in Texas for Ken Paxton in a close Senate race

President Trump held events in Corpus Christi and Lubbock on Tuesday to back Republican Ken Paxton in Texas' U.S. Senate race against Democrat James Talarico, one week before the Nov. 3 midterms. Polls show a close race; the RealClearPolitics average shows a dead heat, according to USA Today. Talarico also campaigned in Lubbock. Texas has not elected a Democrat statewide in 32 years, AP reports.

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Why it matters

Texas voters choose a U.S. senator on November 3, and polls show Ken Paxton and James Talarico close. Texas has not elected a Democrat to statewide office in 32 years, according to AP.

What to watch

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3; Texas is in its final week of early voting, according to USA Today.

How each side sees it

Trump and Republicans sayTrump said Paxton would "do very well" and that Talarico "should be losing by a lot" given his positions.

Talarico and Democrats sayTalarico has highlighted Paxton's ethical and legal problems, and says he supports the Second Amendment and an "all of the above" energy strategy.

Sources

Checked against 3 established news sources:

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Published Tuesday, October 27, 2026. Spot an error? Email [email protected]. See our corrections log and standards.