Democrat James Talarico has delivered a stunning upset in Texas, defeating scandal-hit Republican Ken Paxton and becoming the first Democrat elected to represent the state in the U.S. Senate in 38 years.
The extraordinary result ended a Republican grip on the Lone Star State, which had not elected a Democrat to statewide office since 1994. It also dealt a major setback to President Donald Trump and his party’s efforts to maintain control of the Senate.
Republican Governor Greg Abbott was also defeated by Democratic candidate Gina Hinojosa in another remarkable upset, contributing to the “blue tsunami” sweeping across the country in a devastating night for Trump.
The atmosphere at Talarico’s election-night headquarters in downtown Austin was electric.
Supporters listened to live music, drank Love Street Blonde beers and celebrated as Democrats captured control of the House of Representatives while Talarico and Hinojosa built leads over their Republican rivals.
The crowd erupted when Talarico’s victory was called at 10 p.m., then grew even louder when CNN projected Hinojosa as the winner.
Supporters also broke into a chant of “U-S-A.”
The two Democrats campaigned together and held a joint rally Monday night at an Austin barbecue restaurant.
Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico addresses supporters at a rally in Austin on Monday night. Voters elected him Tuesday as the first Democrat to represent Texas in the U.S. Senate since 1988.
Supporters of Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico react as the party’s wave of victories takes shape.
Talarico’s contest became the most expensive Senate race in U.S. history.
It did not have to reach that point.
Trump intervened in the race in May, urging MAGA voters to support Paxton over incumbent Senator John Cornyn as the two Republicans prepared for a primary runoff just one week later.
The president backed Paxton because Cornyn had not always shown loyalty and had previously criticized him.
With Trump’s endorsement, Paxton won the runoff comfortably.
Senate Republicans had warned that such a result could put the seat at risk.
Tim Scott, chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, cautioned: “We cannot hold Texas if John Cornyn is not our nominee.”
Before the race was officially called, Cornyn congratulated Talarico on social media.
“The voters have spoken, and I want to extend my congratulations to James Talarico on his election to the U.S. Senate,” Cornyn wrote on X. “I look forward to meeting him and offering my assistance with his transition as he prepares to serve Texans in the U.S. Senate.”
At that stage of the night, Talarico held an 18-point lead over Paxton.
In the Democratic primary, voters selected Talarico, whom they viewed as having broader bipartisan appeal, over firebrand U.S. Representative Jasmine Crockett. Crockett entered the Senate contest in December after the Republican-controlled legislature redrew her House district.
Supporters of Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico celebrate as Democrats score major victories in Tuesday night’s midterm election.
Democratic Senate candidate and state House Representative James Talarico addresses a crowd in Dallas during the final days of the campaign.
President Donald Trump, left, stands with Texas Republican Senate candidate and Attorney General Ken Paxton during a campaign rally in Lubbock, Texas, last Tuesday.
The contest appeared capable of becoming a repeat of Alabama’s 2017 special Senate election, when deeply troubled Republican candidate Roy Moore lost to Democrat Doug Jones in a strongly conservative state.
Democrats also feared a repeat of their disappointment in 2018, when Texas Representative Beto O’Rourke came within 2.6 percentage points of defeating Republican Senator Ted Cruz.
Unlike Moore in Alabama, who denied accusations that he had tried to date teenage girls while he was in his 30s, Paxton faced a different set of personal controversies. They included allegations involving two affairs and a highly publicized “Biblical” divorce announcement from his wife, Texas state Senator Angela Paxton.
Angela Paxton later endorsed the “Republican ticket” without using her estranged husband’s name.
Paxton’s campaign was also weighed down by numerous corruption allegations, including a 2023 impeachment initiated by members of his own party. The Texas Senate later acquitted him.
Talarico attacked Paxton’s record in a series of closing campaign advertisements.
“Ken Paxton says I don’t have his experience. And he’s right,” the 37-year-old state representative said. “I’ve never been indicted for fraud. I’ve never been reported to the FBI for bribery. I’ve never been impeached by my own party. And I’ve never given a sweetheart deal to a pedophile.”
Paxton and his Republican allies sought to use some of Talarico’s controversial remarks—including his suggestion that God is “non-binary”—as well as his support for transgender rights to make the issue a central campaign theme.
President Donald Trump gave Democrat James Talarico the nickname “Talafreako,” which his campaign embraced while selling campaign T-shirts.
Supporters at a rally featuring President Donald Trump for Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton display the latest MAGA merchandise.
President Donald Trump pauses during his speech in Lubbock, Texas, to play a video attacking Democratic Senate nominee and state Representative James Talarico.
Talarico, who is studying at a seminary, acknowledged that his comment about God being non-binary was intended to be “provocative.”
Paxton also called Talarico “low T”—a reference to low testosterone—and portrayed him as a vegan, although the Democrat eats meat. Talarico had previously said he was trying to reduce his meat consumption for environmental reasons.
Trump visited Texas four times during the final stretch of the campaign.
Republican Senate candidate and Attorney General Ken Paxton, left, shakes hands with a young attendee at a rally with President Donald Trump in Lubbock, Texas, last week.
Supporters of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gina Hinojosa and Senate candidate James Talarico hold masks at a Talarico rally in Dallas.
At his rallies, the president repeated a debunked conspiracy theory claiming that Talarico had left the campaign trail to receive mental-health treatment in Ohio.
Trump suggested that he believed something else had occurred.
“Now, I happen to think he was food poisoned by meat because he can’t stand it,” Trump said at a rally in Corpus Christi.
At his final Texas appearance, Trump dramatically claimed that Talarico believed Jesus supported gender-transition procedures.
“Not only did Talafreako state that God is transgender, he actually said that if Jesus Christ himself came and visited the Texas legislature, Jesus would be promoting sex changes for little children,” Trump declared at a rally in Lubbock last Tuesday night.
Even so, some Talarico supporters told Our News Outlet that they expected certain Republicans to vote for the Democrat, despite being unwilling to say so publicly.
Former Republican Representative Adam Kinzinger was among those who held that view. Kinzinger left the Republican Party, moved from his home state of Illinois and relocated to Texas.
“I don’t think any Republican will admit that they’re going to be a crossover voter, but in the privacy of the ballot box, I think there will be a lot,” Kinzinger told Our News Outlet at a Talarico event in Houston.
Trump carried Texas by 14 points just two years ago. Before Talarico’s victory, Republicans had won 13 consecutive Senate races in the state, including 10 by double-digit margins.
Beto O’Rourke came closest in recent years, losing to Ted Cruz by 2.6 points in 2018, while Colin Allred fell to Cruz by 8.5 points in 2024.
