Overview
- Paxton walked away from a Fort Worth news conference on Tuesday after reporters pressed him about recent investigative stories, a moment that renewed public scrutiny of his campaign conduct.
- Federal Election Commission filings show James Talarico outraised Paxton by a wide margin in the quarter, leaving Talarico with roughly $70 million raised versus about $9 million for Paxton and a far larger cash reserve for advertising and field operations.
- Reports from The New York Times, The Texas Tribune and ProPublica say Paxton or his trusts acquired about 15 residential properties valued near $9 million and that he voted in elections using an address where he did not live, issues his campaign has not fully answered.
- The campaigns are trading contrasting appeals: Paxton emphasizes his law‑enforcement endorsements and alignment with President Trump, while Talarico is campaigning on universal childcare and targeted outreach to Black and border communities and has pledged substantial get‑out‑the‑vote spending.
- Donor hesitancy among Cornyn-era backers, a recent Supreme Court ruling that allows closer party-campaign coordination, and turnout among Black, Hispanic and independent voters will shape whether national Republican groups must flood the race with money to keep the seat.