Democrat James Talarico defeated Republican Ken Paxton in the Texas Senate race
Texas state Representative James Talarico defeated Republican Ken Paxton, the state’s attorney general, to win the Senate seat, marking the first Democratic Senate victory in Texas since 1988. The Associated Press declared Talarico the winner at 11:03 p.m. EST. The BBC said the victory helped solidify Democrats’ full control of Congress.
More context
Democrat James Talarico, a state representative, defeated Republican Ken Paxton in Tuesday’s Texas Senate race, delivering a major upset. At 11:03 p.m. EST, the AP called the contest for Talarico. He is the first Democrat elected to the U.S. Senate from Texas since 1988 and the first Democrat to win any statewide race there since 1994. Talarico, 37, a former teacher and seminary student, campaigned on lowering everyday costs and addressing corruption allegations against Paxton, the state’s attorney general. Paxton, who had Donald Trump’s endorsement, argued Talarico’s progressive positions on social issues were out of step with Texas. The BBC said the win helped solidify Democrats’ taking full control of Congress. The 19th described it as the most expensive Senate race in state history.
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Reporting
- Time — Talarico Wins Texas Senate Race, AP Calls
- CBS News — James Talarico wins Texas 2026 Senate election, flipping seat for Democrats - CBS News
- BBC News — James Talarico becomes first Democrat to win Texas Senate seat in decades
- PBS News — WATCH LIVE: Democrat James Talarico speaks after winning Texas Senate seat | PBS News
- 19thnews.org — Texas Senate results: James Talarico wins seat over Ken Paxton
Verifier’s note
TIME, CBS News, The 19th, BBC, and PBS News all report that James Talarico won the Texas Senate race against Ken Paxton. PBS News attributes its report to the Associated Press, while the other four provide separate publisher reports.