The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has endorsed Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton ahead of Texas’ early voting period, which begins on Monday. The endorsement comes as Paxton and his Democratic opponent, James Talarico, held competing rallies over the weekend to outline their closing arguments to voters.
The endorsement by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, a business advocacy group, aligns with Paxton’s campaign as he seeks to secure a Senate seat in Texas. Meanwhile, Talarico, a state lawmaker and former teacher, hosted a rally in Plano as part of a broader push to attract voters in North Texas. Paxton, the state’s attorney general, held his own event in San Antonio as part of his “Come and Take It Tour.”
Recent polling suggests the race remains highly competitive. A University of Texas poll released this week placed Talarico ahead of Paxton by 50% to 47%, a margin within the survey’s margin of error. A separate UMass Lowell poll found the two candidates tied. The Senate race is one of the most closely watched in the country, with both parties emphasizing its potential impact on control of the U.S. Senate.
Background on the Candidates
Ken Paxton, the Republican nominee, is the state’s attorney general and a staunch ally of former President Donald Trump. Trump has campaigned aggressively for Paxton, warning that losing the seat could jeopardize the Republicans’ narrow Senate majority. “It’s a killer in Congress because we have a very close majority. We can’t let that happen,” Trump said at a recent rally in San Antonio. He has also criticized Talarico, mocking him with the nickname “Talafreako” and accusing Democrats of wanting to reopen the country’s borders.
James Talarico, the Democratic nominee, is a 37-year-old former teacher and state lawmaker who has positioned himself as a unifying figure. Talarico, a Presbyterian seminarian, has appealed to independents and Republicans disillusioned with Trump by emphasizing shared values and economic populism. “I’ll always put Texas before any political party,” he has stated. His campaign has focused on issues such as the cost of living and immigration raids, which have fueled voter anger in the state.
The race for Texas’ Senate seat is unfolding against the backdrop of a state that has not elected a Democrat to statewide office since 1994. In the 2024 presidential election, Trump carried Texas by nearly 14 percentage points, underscoring the Republican Party’s traditional dominance in the state. However, the competitiveness of this Senate race reflects broader shifts in voter sentiment and the potential for Democrats to make inroads in traditionally conservative areas.