Texas Senate Race Becomes Costliest of 2026 Midterms
The contest between Democrat James Talarico and Republican Ken Paxton for a U.S. Senate seat in Texas is the most expensive race of the coming midterm elections.
About a half-billion dollars is scheduled to be spent in the race, more than for any other seat, according to The New York Times. Ad spending alone between Talarico and Paxton has topped $500 million, NewsNation reported.
Talarico raised a quarterly record of $64 million, The New York Times reported. The Texas race has shattered the state's campaign spending record. An earlier snapshot put spending by Paxton and groups supporting him at roughly $175 million, compared with $71 million for Talarico and groups supporting him.
Talarico is the Democratic nominee. Paxton is his Republican opponent. Recent polls show Talarico holds a consistent lead over Paxton. President Donald Trump and the Republican Party are worried about the midterm elections amid the Texas showdown.
Democrats are staging a bid to win a Senate seat in Texas, a Republican stronghold. Talarico is working to reach Black voters in his race against Paxton. The 2026 Texas Senate race is for the seat held by Senator John Cornyn.
Republicans hold a 53-47 majority in the U.S. Senate, according to Reuters. Twenty-two Republican-held Senate seats are up for election in 2026, and Texas is listed among the key Senate races to watch, The Associated Press reported. The battle for Senate control is expected to exceed $3.4 billion in spending across all races. Democrats need to flip four states in the November midterms, targeting battlegrounds like Ohio, Texas, North Carolina and Maine.
In the House, Democrats need a net gain of four seats to win control. Republicans sought to pick up five Texas seats through redistricting, the redrawing of district lines, ahead of the 2026 elections. The general election will be held on Nov. 3, 2026.
The campaign is also drawing attention beyond voters. More than $220 million has been bet on the 2026 midterms, compared with $92 million in the 2024 cycle, with the Texas Senate contest a focus of that betting. Just over half of candidates in key Senate races say they will accept the results. Senate Republicans plan a post-election blitz to confirm President Trump's judicial nominees.
