HOUSTON (AP) 鈥� Texas Democrat launched his general election campaign for the U.S. Senate Wednesday by framing his Republican opponent, state Attorney General Ken Paxton, as part of a corrupt political establishment that uses power to serve itself rather than the people.
Talarico has given Democrats their best chance in years of winning a Senate race in Texas and has boosted their still-uphill chances of retaking the majority in the U.S. Senate in November. Talarico, a former middle school teacher and a state lawmaker from Austin, laid out a clear strategy for the months ahead: Litigating Paxton鈥檚 scandals to a weary electorate.
鈥淜en Paxton is the most corrupt politician in America,鈥� Talarico told a crowd of about 1,000 supporters who packed a dance club in downtown Houston. 鈥淗e has failed the character test. He has put his own interests above the laws of Texas. Those are not my words, those are the words of Ken Paxton鈥檚 fellow Republicans.鈥�
He also sought to tie what he called the 鈥渞ot鈥� at the heart of the nation’s political system to the everyday problems faced by many voters, driving home the concerns over rising costs that have been part of Democrats’ wider messaging strategy for this year’s midterm elections.
“In America, we have an affordability crisis because we have a corruption crisis,” Talarico told the crowd.
Talarico’s messaging is tougher than in the primary
It was a stark pivot from the more sunny, spiritual theme of . Now, he’s leaning into the same arguments against Paxton that Republican Senate leaders feared would make the attorney general a weaker candidate than Sen. John Cornyn, who in Tuesday’s Republican runoff.
The diverse crowd in Houston held signs emblazoned with 鈥淭alarico,鈥� but with a new twist. On the flipside was the campaign’s new theme: 鈥淭HE PEOPLE vs. KEN PAXTON.鈥�
Phrased like a court case aimed at the state’s chief law enforcement officer, the theme was launched on the day that also marked the third anniversary of Paxton’s impeachment on allegations he used his office to benefit a wealthy political donor.
Paxton was on all 20 articles of impeachment, which has emboldened him and fueled his supporters. Many of them have long held that he and President Donald Trump, who endorsed him, have been victims of political persecution.
But the message seemed to resonate with many at Talarico’s rally.
Monique Green, a retired elementary school teacher from Houston, said the most important part of the 鈥淭he People vs. Ken Paxton鈥� sign she clutched to her chest while standing in line to meet Talarico were its first two words.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a declaration that it鈥檚 about us,” she said. “We are the ones, all of us, what we can definitely do together. And he inspires us to act. He doesn鈥檛 just talk 鈥� he believes.鈥�
Campaign aides said Talarico had raised $600,000 in small, on-line donations within two hours of Paxton鈥檚 win in the Republican Texas runoff Tuesday, the most lucrative two hours for his campaign since he announced he was running in September 2025.
Turning personal attacks into campaign slogans
One of the first speakers at the rally was the Democratic state representative who co-led Paxton鈥檚 impeachment, Ann Johnson, alongside a Republican lawmaker.
Talarico emphasized that the over corruption allegations was brought by , Paxton’s own party. After his rally, he said he is making the campaign about Paxton鈥檚 record because 鈥渉e has escaped accountability for years.鈥�
Paxton’s campaign did not immediately return messages seeking comment. But after Talarico finished speaking, Paxton posted a link to his campaign’s donation page on the social platform X with a personal attack on his opponent: 鈥淛ames Talarico and his big vegan allies have raised a fortune trying to stop the America First agenda. I need your help!鈥� he wrote.
It echoed a line from Paxton after his runoff victory on Tuesday, and Talarico had a response ready for his supporters at the Houston rally: “I鈥檝e been eating barbecue since before Ken Paxton鈥檚 first indictment,鈥� he said.
The vegan jab is part of Paxton’s attempt to seek out what he considers weak points in Talarico’s campaign and areas to exploit. In a strategy reminiscent of Trump, Paxton also has been testing nicknames for his opponent.
They included 鈥淭alaFreako,” which Talarico turned to his advantage Wednesday night. He told his supporters they could go to his campaign website and buy T-shirts stamped with the new nickname.
In an interview with CBS 小萝莉影视 ahead of Wednesday’s rally, Talarico responded to the claims about his beliefs on gender, saying that what he means is that 鈥淕od cannot be defined by human categories” and there were 鈥渢wo sexes, men and women.”
鈥淚 also know there鈥檚 a very small percentage of people who have these chromosomal abnormalities, and I believe that they deserve to be treated with dignity and respect,鈥� he said.
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