Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico announced a record $64 million fundraising haul for the third quarter of 2026, bringing his total raised to over $134 million. Talarico's total substantially outpaced Republican nominee Ken Paxton, who brought in $18 million. Despite Talarico leading slightly in recent polling, total ad spending in the contest has topped $500 million as Republican outside groups pour hundreds of millions into Texas to support Paxton.
Talarico's third-quarter fundraising record
- ▪Ninety-seven percent of James Talarico's third-quarter donations were under $100, coming from more than 1.3 million individuals, according to Talarico's campaign
- ▪James Talarico stated that grassroots contributors are joining his campaign to end billionaire control over politics and lower costs for working families
- ▪Previous Democratic U.S. Senate candidates in Texas raised major third-quarter totals, including Beto O'Rourke's $38 million in 2018 and Colin Allred's $30 million in 2024
- ▪Texas Democratic U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico raised $64 million in the third quarter of 2026, breaking the record of $57 million set by South Carolina Democrat Jaime Harrison in the third quarter of 2020
Advertising spending in the Senate contest
- ▪James Talarico spent more than $20 million on advertisements in the month leading up to October 15, 2026, according to AdImpact data
- ▪Republican advertisers spent more than $368 million in total ad outlays for the 2026 Texas U.S. Senate contest, according to AdImpact data
- ▪Total political advertisement spending in the 2026 Texas U.S. Senate race surpassed $500 million
- ▪Republican outside groups spent over $175 million to boost Ken Paxton and attack James Talarico between September 1 and October 15, 2026
Paxton's campaign efforts and fundraising
- ▪Ken Paxton's campaign announced a two-week bus tour kicking off near Fort Worth on October 17, 2026, and concluding at the Alamo the night before Election Day
- ▪Republican U.S. Senate candidate Ken Paxton raised $18 million across his campaign and two affiliated vehicles in the third quarter of 2026
Trump's support for Paxton
- ▪Donald Trump traveled to Texas three times in a month to campaign on behalf of Ken Paxton
- ▪Donald Trump backed Ken Paxton in the 2026 Republican primary against incumbent Senator John Cornyn
Talarico's CNN voter town hall
- ▪James Talarico spoke at a CNN voter town hall in Fort Worth, Texas, on October 14, 2026, after Ken Paxton declined an invitation from CNN to participate
- ▪During the CNN town hall on October 14, 2026, James Talarico expressed opposition to total state abortion bans and spoke about his Christian faith
- ▪Regarding gender-affirming surgeries for minors at a CNN town hall in Fort Worth on October 14, 2026, James Talarico stated he seeks to balance parental rights and child protection, erring on the side of protecting children from permanent damage
Online rumors regarding Talarico's absence
- ▪False claims alleging that James Talarico had dropped out of the Texas Senate race, entered an Ohio mental health facility, or died garnered millions of views online
- ▪James Talarico criticized online conspiracy theories regarding his one-week absence from the campaign trail due to a severe case of the flu
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