WASHINGTON — James Talarico raised $64 million in the third quarter of the year, his campaign announced — the largest fundraising haul on record for a U.S. Senate candidate in any state for this period.
Talarico, an Austin state representative, has been a prolific fundraiser throughout the race. His latest haul is more than triple what his opponent, Attorney General Ken Paxton, raised across the same period. Paxton brought in $18 million, by far his best quarter, from July through September.
“Grassroots contributors from across Texas are coming together to end billionaire control over our politics and bring down costs for working families,” Talarico said in a statement. “Thanks to the support of everyday Texans, this people-powered movement is going to change this broken, corrupt political system.”
Talarico closed out September with $14.6 million on hand after spending a whopping $67.2 million over the three-month period.
Since launching his campaign just over a year ago, Talarico has raised over $134 million — a staggering sum that has allowed his campaign to withstand a flood of Republican outside advertising money this fall. He has spent roughly $114 million over that time.
Still, despite Talarico’s massive fundraising, spending in the race has been lopsided. National Republicans began pouring over $200 million into Texas on Paxton’s behalf beginning in September. Nearly all of that has been bankrolled by Elon Musk, a Texas resident and the wealthiest man in the world. MAGA Inc., President Donald Trump’s principal super PAC, has also supported Paxton’s rescue mission with another $33.7 million in advertising so far, according to media tracking firm AdImpact.
“Billionaire-backed dark money groups and super PACs are spending over $200 million to lie about James because we’re on the verge of defeating the most corrupt politician in Texas,” Talarico campaign manager Seth Krasne said in a statement.
The vast majority of donations, per Talarico’s campaign, are from small-dollar donors. Ninety-seven percent of the third-quarter donations to Talarico were for less than $100, his campaign said in a news release.
Talarico’s haul far outpaces those of past Texas Democrats who were themselves strong fundraisers. 2024 Senate candidate Colin Allred raised $30 million in the same quarter last cycle, while Beto O’Rourke brought in $38 million across the same period in 2018.
