Democratic state Representative James Talarico currently leads Republican state Attorney General Ken Paxton in the race for a U.S. Senate seat in Texas. This information comes from a Texas Public Opinion Research poll released recently.
Paxton secured a win against Senator John Cornyn in the Senate GOP runoff, assisted by a late endorsement from former President Donald Trump. This primary runoff was closely watched, as it could predict the future direction of the GOP in Texas, influencing who will contest against Talarico in the upcoming election.
The poll indicates that Paxton holds 44 percent of the vote, trailing Talarico’s 47 percent. Libertarian Ted Brown captures 1 percent. Notably, 7 percent of those surveyed remain undecided, while 2 percent indicated they would abstain from voting. Newsweek attempted to reach out to representatives from both campaigns for comments.
What To Know
The poll further pressed undecided voters on their leanings. Paxton received a 19 percent inclination compared to Talarico’s 17 percent and Brown’s 13 percent. However, 50 percent of undecided respondents still remained unsure.
Conducted among 1,670 likely voters on May 27 and May 28, the survey carries a 2.8 percent margin of error. Talarico enjoys a favorability rating of 47 percent, against a 40 percent unfavorability. In contrast, Paxton is viewed favorably by 38 percent but unfavorably by 57 percent.
When queried on economic understanding, 45 percent of respondents felt Talarico better grasps the challenges facing Texans, while Paxton was backed by 40 percent. Eight percent felt neither understands, and 7 percent were unsure.
Regarding ideological perceptions, 75 percent of those surveyed identified Paxton as too conservative, compared to 60 percent who viewed Talarico as too liberal.
Paxton and other Republicans, including U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, have targeted Talarico with criticisms focusing on various personal and political stances since the runoff conclusion.
Talarico, on the other hand, has labeled Paxton as “the most corrupt politician in America,” referring to prior controversies surrounding the Texas attorney general.
Following Paxton’s victory, the Cook Political Report adjusted its rating of the race from “likely Republican” to “lean Republican.” This shift suggests a narrowing gap, moving closer to a potential toss-up. Jessica Taylor, U.S. Senate editor, remarked on Paxton being regarded as a weaker general election candidate compared to Cornyn.
In reaction to Paxton’s runoff win, Trump expressed congratulations and commended Cornyn for an impressive career. He used Truth Social to share praise for Paxton and criticized Talarico extensively, calling him “the worst TEXAS candidate I have ever seen” due to various reasons. Trump vowed to campaign extensively for Paxton with rallies set to energize supporters. He concluded with a patriotic message.
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