Texas Senate

Texas' open U.S. Senate race has narrowed to a close contest between Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton and Democratic state Rep. James Talarico of Austin, with Libertarian Ted Brown also on the ballot. The seat is being vacated by John Cornyn, who lost the GOP primary to Paxton. Polls show the race within the margin of error, giving Talarico a slight edge as Democrats seek their first statewide Texas win since 1994.

Paxton, attorney general since 2015 and a longtime conservative legal combatant against federal policy, has backing from President Trump, Sen. Ted Cruz and Senate GOP leadership but did not respond to candidate questionnaires. Talarico, serving his fourth House term, has set state fundraising records and drawn endorsements from labor and civil rights groups. Brown, a longtime Libertarian activist, rounds out the field.

Early voting runs Oct. 19 through Oct. 30, with Election Day on Nov. 3. The Senate race shares the ballot with Texas' gubernatorial contest between Gov. Greg Abbott and state Rep. Gina Hinojosa. With the Senate split 53-47 in Republicans' favor, a Democratic upset in Texas would ease their path toward a majority, making the race a closely watched national bellwether.

A newly public deposition from December 2014 shows Texas Attorney General and GOP Senate candidate Ken Paxton repeatedly unable or unwilling to answer federal investigators' questions about his personal finances. The transcript, obtained and authenticated by The New York Times and provided by someone opposed to Paxton's Senate bid, stems from an SEC probe into Servergy Inc., a McKinney, Texas tech startup under scrutiny for alleged false claims to investors. Paxton said "I don't remember" or "I don't recall" more than 200 times, attributing gaps in his knowledge to being busy with legislative work and campaigning, delegating investment matters to staff, and relying on his then-wife, Angela, to handle taxes. He described receiving 100,000 Servergy shares as a gift from the company's founder, calling it consistent with the man's faith, though he admitted it was "not logical."

The SEC later brought civil fraud charges against Paxton that were dismissed; a related state securities fraud indictment ended in a deal with no admission of wrongdoing. Paxton's campaign called the leak a political distraction, as he trails Democratic opponent James Talarico, who is seeking to unseal two other sealed depositions.

Texas faces mounting pressure to fund long-term water infrastructure as the 2026 governor's race introduces competing fiscal priorities. State Sen. Charles Perry, a Lubbock Republican who chairs the Senate Committee on Water, Agriculture, and Rural Affairs, is urging officials to prioritize decades-long water planning, invoking the legacy of former Lt. Gov. Bob Bullock, who helped establish Texas' 50-year statewide water planning process in 1997.

Perry warns that short-term political proposals could undermine funding for future water projects. Democratic gubernatorial nominee Gina Hinojosa has proposed using $17 billion from the state surplus for $1,500 household rebate checks, while Gov. Greg Abbott has backed measures requiring supermajority voter approval for local property tax increases and eliminating school property taxes in favor of state funding — both of which could limit local governments' ability to finance water bonds.

A Texas 2036 poll found 79% of Texans consider water investment extremely or very important. Perry previously secured $1 billion annually for 20 years in state water funding, though Texas' draft 2027 water plan outlines $174 billion in needed investments through 2050.

Texas legislators are debating whether to mandate five-day school weeks after data showed the state's 4th and 8th grade reading scores now trail Mississippi's, a state once ranked near the bottom nationally. Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morath told the Senate Committee on Education that Mississippi requires a 180-day school year and holds back struggling 3rd graders, while Texas schools average only 169 days, with more than 100 districts having adopted four-day weeks.

Researchers testified that four-day weeks produce modest cost savings and less bullying, but no improvement in teacher quality and increases in juvenile crime and food insecurity. Natalia ISD's superintendent described his district's academic rating falling from a "C" to an "F" under a four-day schedule before reverting to five days. Despite this, he and researcher Emily Morton stopped short of recommending a blanket mandate, instead urging guardrails similar to Indiana's, which restricts four-day weeks to high-rated districts meeting salary and access requirements. A prior 2023 bill to restrict four-day weeks passed the Senate but stalled in the House, setting up renewed debate next session.

Texas Attorney General and GOP Senate nominee Ken Paxton has been caught on leaked audio complaining that Washington operatives and party leaders, rather than himself, are controlling his campaign's messaging. "I've never been in a race where I felt less control," Paxton said at a fundraiser, adding frustration that decisions were coming "from DC." His campaign says he was referring to super PACs, which cannot legally coordinate with campaigns but have spent heavily on his behalf. A separate leaked recording had Paxton acknowledging his numbers dropped after a Trump-headlined GOP convention in Dallas.

The disclosures add to visible strain within Texas Republican ranks ahead of the November 3 election against Democrat James Talarico, with Senator John Cornyn among those reluctant to fully rally behind Paxton. Angela Paxton, the AG's estranged wife who filed for divorce in July 2025 citing adultery, has released a PAC-funded ad urging Republicans to back the full GOP ticket regardless of individual candidates. Polling shows Talarico with a narrow lead, and Republicans have poured tens of millions of dollars into defending the seat.

Texas voters head to the polls Nov. 3, 2026 for a general election featuring statewide races for U.S. Senate, governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, comptroller, land commissioner, agriculture commissioner and railroad commissioner, plus seats on the Texas Supreme Court and Court of Criminal Appeals. Congressional, state legislative, judicial and local races will also appear depending on a voter's location. Key deadlines include an Oct. 5 voter registration cutoff and an Oct. 23 deadline to apply for a mail ballot. In-person voters need an acceptable photo ID, though those without one may sign a Reasonable Impediment Declaration and provide alternate documentation.

Elsewhere, Cuyahoga County, Ohio, election officials are holding public demonstrations of voting equipment, mail-ballot sorting and drop-box security as part of a "Know Before You Vote" campaign ahead of the same Nov. 3 election, which also includes governor and U.S. Senate races along with local levies and charter amendments. Officials are urging voters nationwide to review sample ballots in advance. Early voting in Harris County runs Oct. 19 through Oct. 30, with Election Day polls open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Voters should check VoteTexas.gov or local county election sites for details.

Texas heads into its Nov. 3, 2026 election with several races drawing unusually close national attention. Democratic state Rep. James Talarico is running competitively against Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton for U.S. Senate, a race polling shows within margin of error — the closest Texas Senate contest since Democrats last held the seat in 1993. Gov. Greg Abbott, seeking a fourth term, holds a smaller-than-usual lead over Democratic state Rep. Gina Hinojosa, who would be the state's first Democratic governor in over 30 years and first Latina governor if elected. Down-ballot races for lieutenant governor, attorney general, comptroller, and other statewide posts are also tighter than in recent cycles.

The election marks the first test of Texas's new congressional map, redrawn last year at President Trump's urging to net Republicans five additional U.S. House seats after Supreme Court approval. Ten open House seats add further uncertainty. Affordability, property taxes, and growing bipartisan backlash against data centers are emerging as major voter concerns statewide.