Overview
- The two candidates campaigned in Fort Worth on Tuesday, with Paxton holding a sheriffs‑backed news conference that attacked Talarico’s record on law enforcement and Talarico touring child‑care sites to promote universal early childhood education.
- Federal Election Commission filings show a major fundraising gap that favors Talarico by roughly $70 million to $9 million, driven by Talarico’s broad small‑donor base and Paxton’s larger donor and joint‑fundraising support.
- Paxton declined to answer reporters’ questions about recent reporting on his property purchases and voting addresses during the Fort Worth event while his campaign emphasized his prosecutions and law‑and‑order credentials.
- Talarico has pledged $25 million for Black voter outreach after criticism from some Black leaders about his engagement, and his campaign says he opposes defunding police while citing votes and budget decisions that funded law enforcement.
- With polls showing the race essentially tied, national GOP groups now have a clearer legal path to coordinate with the Paxton campaign, making outside spending and turnout operations the immediate levers that could decide the outcome.