Democrat James Talarico Defeats Ken Paxton in Texas Senate Race on Early Votes Alone

Democrat James Talarico defeated Republican Ken Paxton in Texas’s Senate race, securing victory based on early votes alone, according to new data. Over 9 million Texans voted in the midterms, with Talarico winning easily in the deep-red state. More than 7 million voters cast ballots early, and Talarico’s early-vote total exceeded Paxton’s overall count. Talarico finished with 5.4 million total votes, while Paxton, endorsed by Donald Trump, spent nearly $300 million on his campaign. Paxton’s term as attorney general ends January 1, and Democrat Nathan Johnson will succeed him, marking the first Democratic holder of that office since 1994. Trump reportedly regretted endorsing Paxton, who faced near-impeachment allegations.