Democrats have long dreamed of a blue Texas. And they believe Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s defeat of incumbent Sen. John Cornyn in Tuesday’s Republican Senate primary could turn that dream into reality.
In Paxton, Democrats see a Republican standard-bearer whose scandals and hard-right views may finally give their nominee a path to victory. And they’re eager to lean into the contrast with the Democratic candidate, state Rep. James Talarico, a seminarian and former teacher who presents as temperamentally moderate.
“Ken Paxton has a criminal record. I have a legislative record,” Talarico said in a message sent to supporters shortly after Paxton was declared victorious on Tuesday night. It was followed by a campaign ad from Team Talarico featuring a series of news clips highlighting the Republican’s alleged improprieties, which include an indictment for securities fraud and an impeachment from the GOP-controlled Texas House stemming from accusations of public corruption and abuse of office. The securities fraud felony charges were dropped after Paxton pleaded not guilty and agreed to pay nearly $300,000 in restitution and in 2024. He has denied the corruption allegations.
It’s an encapsulation of an issue Democrats are trying to seize nationwide: fighting corruption.
“The Talarico campaign has done a fantastic job coming out of the gate explaining exactly why Ken Paxton is just simply unfit to serve,” said Mari Manoogian, a Democratic strategist and executive director of The Next 50, a political action committee focused on electing young Democrats. “This is sort of part of a broader conversation that’s being had — not just in Texas, but by Democrats generally — about how the current administration and their cronies in the House and in the Senate are furthering the corrupt agenda of the Trump administration.”
House Democrats announced plans Tuesday to launch a new caucus aimed at fighting corruption in government amid Trump-era ethics concerns. Paxton’s win gives the party a way of personalizing that national message for persuadable voters in Texas.
Talarico is also seeking to appeal to politically homeless Cornyn voters, hoping to bring them into his tent with an appeal to bipartisanship.
“We don’t agree on everything, but we both still believe in public service,” Talarico wrote on X, thanking Cornyn for his service to Texas after his runoff loss. “To Senator Cornyn’s supporters: you have a place in our campaign.”









