Democrats think they can turn Texas blue with Paxton vs. Talarico Senate race |
Democrats think they can turn Texas blue with Paxton vs. Talarico Senate race
State Attorney General Ken Paxton’s win in the Texas Senate primary exhilarated President Trump and the MAGA base on Tuesday night. But the victory also electrified Democrats, who say the seat is not just competitive but winnable with their candidate state Rep. James Talarico.
Democrats for years have talked about winning a big statewide race in Texas, and for years they have fallen well short of their goal.
But there are reasons to think their hopes are real this time and not hyperbole.
Much of their optimism centers around Talarico, a charismatic state representative who has quickly become a rising star within the party.
Talarico, they say, is uniquely positioned to appeal to not only his base but also independents and moderate Republicans.
At the same time, Democrats say Paxton’s baggage — from his legal troubles to his impeachment by the Texas House in 2023 — have Democrats feeling emboldened as they enter the general election
“I think he has a great chance,” Mark Cuban, the billionaire investor and former owner of the Dallas Mavericks, told The Hill. “He has uniquely attracted both Democrats and most importantly independents.”
“He just needs to keep doing what he’s doing,” Cuban said.
Talarico didn’t waste any time slamming Paxton.
Minutes after the race was called in favor of the state attorney general, Talarico put out his first general election video, calling Paxton “the most corrupt politician in America.”
“If we the people can come together to defeat the most corrupt politician in America, we can defeat this entire corrupt system,” Talarico says in the video. “We can start unrigging this economy. We can start raising our pay, cutting our taxes, lowering our costs. We can finally get ahead. It’s time to come together: The people vs. Ken Paxton.”
Immediately following Paxton’s defeat of longtime incumbent Sen. John Cornyn (R) on........