James Talarico

More than 6.4 million Texans cast ballots during early voting, surpassing the state's previous non-presidential-year record of 5.5 million set in 2018. The figures exclude mail-in ballots. Analysts point to the closely watched Senate race between Republican Ken Paxton and Democrat James Talarico, now the most expensive Senate contest in history with over $560 million in combined ad spending, as the main driver of turnout. The governor's race between Greg Abbott and Gina Hinojosa, plus growth in suburban counties like Collin County, also contributed. Some experts project total turnout could reach 10 million votes, which would break the state's all-time midterm record.

Election Day voting runs Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

President Trump traveled to Corpus Christi and Lubbock, Texas, to boost Ken Paxton's Senate bid against Democrat James Talarico, part of a final midterm push through traditionally Republican states. Texas has not elected a Democrat statewide in 32 years, but Talarico has gained traction amid Paxton's legal troubles. Elon Musk has poured significant money into stopping Talarico, a point Democrats are using to highlight wealthy influence in politics, echoing a parallel fight in the governor's race between Greg Abbott and Gina Hinojosa. Secretary of State Marco Rubio joined the trip, fueling speculation about his 2028 ambitions, while Vance and Trump also focus on tight races in Michigan and Alaska.

Texas voters head to the polls with Republicans defending longtime dominance amid Democratic hopes fueled by opposition to President Trump. The marquee race pits Democratic state Rep. James Talarico against Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton for U.S. Senate, with control implications for Trump's final two years. Gov. Greg Abbott faces an unexpectedly close challenge from state Rep. Gina Hinojosa despite a fundraising edge. Down-ballot, polling shows tight margins for lieutenant governor, attorney general, comptroller, and a Railroad Commission seat. Democrats must flip 14 Texas House seats and four Senate seats for majorities. No Democrat has won statewide in Texas since 1994. Early voting runs through October 30.

After Texas Railroad Commission candidate Bo French posted a screengrab mocking UT Austin's South Asian student section following the Longhorns' win over Ohio State, calling it a problem "far worse than anyone imagined," the post drew bipartisan condemnation from figures including Sen. John Cornyn, House Speaker Dustin Burrows and Karl Rove. Records show UT staff closely monitored the backlash, media inquiries and donor complaints for 36 hours before President Jim Davis issued any response, initially instructing spokespeople to withhold comment and emphasize low international-student enrollment figures.

Davis eventually echoed a UT System statement defending "all Longhorns" without directly condemning French's language. Students and faculty say the episode, alongside other campus speech controversies, reflects a broader institutional shift toward avoiding direct criticism of racism amid rising political pressure on Texas universities.

Several top Texas Republicans running statewide in 2025 have declined to debate their Democratic challengers ahead of the general election. Attorney General Ken Paxton, facing state Rep. James Talarico in the U.S. Senate race, has repeatedly deflected debate offers, including proposals to appear on Fox News. Gov. Greg Abbott, who debated opponents in his three prior general elections, has not agreed to face state Rep. Gina Hinojosa, citing campaign travel instead. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has similarly avoided debating state Rep. Vikki Goodwin. The trend extends beyond Texas: The Washington Post found fewer than half of U.S. Senate races this cycle include debates, and in Arizona, Gov. Katie Hobbs is again skipping debates with her opponent.

Billboard-famous Texas personal injury attorney Thomas J. Henry has endorsed Democratic state Rep. James Talarico for U.S. Senate, a reversal after he backed Republican Ken Paxton in the May primary and donated over $646,000 to a pro-Paxton PAC. Henry said meeting Talarico in person convinced him of his "balanced, straightforward and honest" approach, while mounting scandals around Paxton changed his view. Henry joins other notable Paxton-adjacent figures shifting support, including attorney Dan Cogdell, who once defended Paxton, and Neil Bush, brother of George W. Bush. The endorsements add to a competitive, closely watched Texas Senate race between Paxton and Talarico ahead of Election Day.