The Austin Democrat used the forum, absent rival Ken Paxton, to discuss policy and present himself as a moderate. Republicans cast those efforts as contrary to his record.
James Talarico
Posted in
Politics
Texas transgender rights group says it didn’t send texts that prompted call for an investigation
The Transgender Education Network of Texas sent a cease and desist letter to messaging companies demanding an end to the text campaign.
Posted in
Politics
It’s not just Talarico. New Texas poll shows Dems statistically tied in key statewide races
Republicans trail behind Democrats in voter enthusiasm, a University of Texas/Texas Politics Project University of Texas/Texas Politics Project poll shows.
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2026 Texas Elections
How Ken Paxton and allies fanned a false conspiracy to convince voters James Talarico was mentally unfit
While James Talarico was recovering from the flu, Paxton supporters said the Democrat was being treated for mental illness in Ohio. The debunked story was shared by White House officials, Elon Musk and social media influencers.
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2026 Texas Elections
On the issues: A Q&A with U.S. Senate candidates James Talarico, Ken Paxton and Ted Brown
Ken Paxton and James Talarico are in a close race for Texas’ U.S. Senate seat, with Ted Brown also on the ballot. See where they stand on THC, data centers and Flock cameras. Talarico and Brown answered our questions; Paxton did not, so we used his past public statements to describe his positions.
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2026 Texas Elections
James Talarico returns to campaign trail at ACL festival after illness spurred GOP calls for “proof of life”
Republican Ken Paxton made hay over the Democrat’s nine-day spell between public appearances, while right-wing commentators ran with unverified theories and dismissed that Talarico’s recovery could have been hindered by his Type I diabetes.
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Texas affordability crisis
How Texas candidates plan to lower the cost of gas, groceries and housing
From groceries to childcare, Texans are spending more to live here. Here’s how much costs have risen, why it’s happening and what candidates are proposing to fix it.
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2026 Texas Elections
In attacking Talarico for campaign absence, Trump calls for debate that Paxton has avoided
The Democrat, off the trail with the flu, quickly accepted the president’s call to “immediately report to a Debate Stage” with Ken Paxton.
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2026 Texas Elections
“We have to suck it up”: Ken Paxton privately suggests cutting federal benefit programs to reduce national deficit
In a conversation that has been leaked in pieces to multiple publications, the GOP Senate nominee called for “reasonable cuts to mandatory spending,” which is driven by Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.
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2026 Texas Elections
Most Texas Republicans ignore Democratic calls to debate in statewide races
The last U.S. Senate race in Texas to go without a debate was in 2000. Gov. Greg Abbott, meanwhile, debated his Democratic opponents in each of his last three campaigns.
