Democratic state Representative James Talarico has won the United States Senate election in Texas, defeating Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton, according to an Associated Press projection.
His victory ends the Republican Party’s three-decade dominance of statewide offices in Texas and delivers a significant setback to the party and President Donald Trump.
The contest was among the most closely watched and expensive races of the year, with Trump and his allies investing millions of dollars in efforts to secure Paxton’s victory. The president also repeatedly criticised Talarico at campaign rallies across the country, presenting him as a representative of the Democratic Party.
Paxton’s defeat makes him the first Republican to lose a Texas Senate seat since 1990.
The attorney general had maintained an unbroken record of electoral victories since entering the Texas House of Representatives in 2002. He secured the Republican Senate nomination after defeating incumbent Senator John Cornyn in a primary runoff, following a last-minute endorsement from Trump.
However, the president’s declining popularity may have affected Paxton’s chances. The attorney general had reportedly expressed concerns about the potential impact of Trump’s support after the president campaigned for him at the Republican midterm convention in Dallas in September.
Talarico, a four-term legislator representing Austin, had consistently matched or surpassed Paxton in most statewide opinion polls from the middle of the summer.
He also maintained a considerable fundraising advantage over his opponent for much of the year. However, conservative political action committees supporting Paxton attempted to close the gap through extensive advertising campaigns during the final two months of the election.
Talarico first attracted widespread attention in Texas politics in 2018 when he won a state House seat previously held by Republicans in a district that had supported Trump in the 2016 presidential election.
Before entering politics, he worked as a middle school teacher in San Antonio and trained as a Presbyterian seminarian.
His campaign placed considerable emphasis on improving education and opposing attempts to introduce religious practices into public schools.
He was particularly vocal against a law requiring the display of a Protestant version of the Ten Commandments in classrooms across Texas public schools. The legislation is currently facing several legal challenges in federal courts.
Talarico also gained national recognition through appearances on major American media platforms. His July 2025 interview on The Joe Rogan Experience was followed by an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in February 2026.
CBS did not air the latter interview, reportedly following pressure from the Trump administration through the Federal Communications Commission. However, the recording was later uploaded to YouTube, where it attracted widespread attention.
The appearances expanded his national profile and contributed to his growing fundraising success throughout the campaign.
Paxton, meanwhile, faced scrutiny over controversies surrounding his time in office and his personal life.
In 2023, the Texas House of Representatives impeached him over allegations of corruption and misconduct. He was subsequently acquitted by the Texas Senate.
His ongoing divorce proceedings with state Senator Angela Paxton, amid allegations of marital infidelity, also drew attention during the election campaign.
