Democrat James Talarico Wins US Senate Seat in Texas, Flipping a Seat for His Party

Democrat James Talarico, a former schoolteacher and Presbyterian seminarian who campaigned on a "politics of love," on Tuesday won the US Senate race in Texas, flipping yet another seat for his party in a huge blow to Republicans. Talarico defeated the state’s attorney general Ken Paxton, a close ally of President Donald Trump who survived impeachment and years of scandal, NBC News and CBS News projected. He becomes the first Democrat to win statewide office in Texas since 1994. The result was a major setback for Trump, who threw his weight behind Paxton and made the state a campaign priority. In another political earthquake for the southern border state, Democrat Gina Hinojosa on Tuesday unseated incumbent Texas Governor Greg Abbott. Hinojosa, a 52-year-old attorney and state lawmaker, is part of a new generation of Democrats who are seeking to attract independents and voters disillusioned by Trump's unpopular war in the Middle East and skyrocketing prices for gas and everyday goods. The landmark victories for Democrats could signal that Texas, the country’s second most populous state with 40 electoral votes, is becoming competitive in national elections, a shift that could reshape the electoral map for future races. The result also marks a defeat for tech billionaire Elon Musk, who became one of Talarico’s most vocal opponents in the final weeks of the campaign. Musk, who has moved the headquarters of Tesla, SpaceX and X to Texas, has a growing business stake in the state. The world’s richest man spent more than $200 million supporting Paxton, according to federal filings. Talarico ran on a blend of Christian faith and economic populism, describing the contest in the final days of the campaign as a David versus Goliath fight and inviting Republicans dissatisfied with the party to join him. "We are uniting Texans from all backgrounds and beliefs onto one team to take on this broken, corrupt political system," he told reporters after voting early in Austin last week. Trump traveled to Texas four times in the month before the election to rally for Paxton, whom he endorsed over four-term incumbent senator John Cornyn in the Republican primary. At rallies, Trump told voters that a Democratic victory would mean open borders and economic damage, and repeatedly mocked Talarico. The race became the most expensive non-presidential contest in US history, with more than $560 million spent or reserved on political advertising, according to the ad-tracking firm AdImpact.