Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago

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Texas hasn’t elected a Democratic U.S. senator since 1993. Could 2026 finally be different?

New polling shows Democrat James Talarico with a narrow lead over Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton as the race for U.S. Senate in Texas becomes increasingly competitive.

Scripps News political director Andrew Rafferty, chief Washington correspondent Joe St. George and senior national correspondent Jay Gray break down what’s driving the tightening race, whether Paxton’s bruising Republican primary is hurting him, President Donald Trump’s role and why GOP donors could be critical.

The panel also examines Republicans’ unusual midterm convention in Dallas and whether competitive races across Texas are signs of broader cracks in the GOP’s longtime hold on the state.
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