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Talarico flips US Senate seat in Texas
After a three-decade drought, a Democrat will represent Texas in the US Senate.
James Talarcio’s victory Tuesday night sent shock waves across Texas and the country as part of a major string of victories for Democrats.
He campaigned on an economic populist message, while avoiding culture-war battles and talking points. His efforts to paint the political divide in the U.S. as "not left versus right, but top versus bottom" appears to have appealed to those in Texas as he focused on the top issue of the election cycle: the cost of living.
How can Talarico help Texas from Washington?
Big picture view:
As a U.S. Senator, Talarico will have a say in the federal lawmaking process. Democrats won the majority in both congressional chambers on Tuesday night, but Texas’ senators are split, with Republican Ted Cruz set to become the state’s senior senator in January.
Still, Talarico will have the opportunity to shape how federal resources flow to the Lone Star State.
A senator from Texas will be on the front lines of setting policy for immigration and making sure the needs and interests of energy companies and farmers in the state are heard.
AUSTIN, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 3: James Talarico takes the stage at an election night watch party at The Long Center on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026 in Austin, Texas. (Aaron E. Martinez/The Austin American-Statesman via Getty Images)
How did Talarico win the US senate election in Texas?
Dig deeper:
Talarico became the first Democrat from Texas elected to the U.S. Senate since 1988. Polls leading up to election night showed Talarico drawing in more independent voters than his opponent, Ken Paxton. They also showed Talarico winning over Republican voters who cast their ballots for Sen. John Cornyn in the Republican primary.
Results from Tuesday night show every county, even those won by Paxton, shifted towards the Democrats. Some of the biggest shifts came along the southern border, which voted for President Donald Trump in 2024.
Who is James Talarico? What to know about the lawmaker who turned Texas blue
On Tuesday, Texas elected its first Democrat to statewide office in more than 30 years when James Talarico defeated Ken Paxton to become the next senator from Texas.
Along with the shift along the southern border, Talarico managed to win in the counties surrounding Dallas. Collin and Denton counties, which each went for Sen. Ted Cruz in 2024, were won by Talarico, and he was able to win Tarrant County by a much wider margin then Colin Allred carried the county against Cruz.
Why didn’t Ken Paxton perform better in Texas?
The other side:
For more than a decade, Ken Paxton served as Texas’ attorney general. Before that, he was in the state legislature.
His time as attorney general was littered with troubles. An impeachment and subsequent acquittal from his own party. A 2015 indictment on securities fraud changes. A divorce filing last year by his wife, state Sen. Angela Paxton, over accusations of adultery.
Still, Paxton endured, winning reelection as the state’s top prosecutor. That all changed on Tuesday night.
After winning the primary runoff in May, Paxton struggled to unite Texas Republicans, with some who supported Cornyn pledging to vote for Talarico.
Trump made multiple trips to Texas in the final weeks of the campaign in an effort to boost Paxton’s chances of winning the race, but those fell short.
When will Talarico go to the Senate?
What's next:
Talarico will take office at noon on Jan. 3, 2027, when the 120th Congress convenes.
Under the 20th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, the terms of outgoing members of Congress expire at noon on Jan. 3, at which point the six-year terms of their newly elected successors begin.
The Source: Information in this article comes from previous Fox Local reporting. Election results and shifting voter mentality comes from the Associated Press. Results are provided by the Associated Press. Race calls are made by the Associated Press. Information on results comes from the Texas Secretary of State's Office and are preliminary until certified by that office.