In a stunning political upset, Democrat James Talarico has scripted history by flipping a US Senate seat in Texas, defeating Republican Ken Paxton to end
the party's 38-year losing streak in Senate elections in the traditionally Republican stronghold. The last Democrat to win a Senate race in Texas was Lloyd Bentsen in 1988 — a year before Talarico was born. The 37-year-old state legislator, former middle school teacher and Presbyterian seminarian will become Texas' first Democratic senator in more than three decades and the youngest member of the US Senate. His victory marks the first Democratic statewide election win in Texas in more than 30 years, dealing a major blow to President Donald Trump and the Republican Party. The result is particularly significant for Democrats, who have struggled for decades to make electoral inroads in Texas, a state Trump carried by 14 percentage points in the 2024 presidential election. Talarico's victory also puts Republicans' control of the Senate under threat, with Democrats needing a net gain of four seats to reclaim the chamber. Talarico's win was part of a broader Democratic breakthrough in Texas, where Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gina Hinojosa also defeated Republican Governor Greg Abbott, according to media projections. Rather than centring his campaign on divisive cultural issues, Talarico focused on economic populism, arguing that the country's biggest divide was not between the political left and right but between the wealthy and ordinary Americans. His social media campaign, particularly videos on TikTok, also attracted millions of views. For Democrats, the victory could provide a blueprint for challenging Republican dominance in traditionally conservative states. For Republicans, the defeat in a state they have controlled for decades threatens to deepen internal divisions and raises fresh questions about Trump's influence over the party's electoral strategy. The Senate race was among the most expensive of the election cycle, with Republicans spending more than $316 million in an effort to retain the seat. Talarico overcame the financial disadvantage with a campaign centred on the cost of living, economic inequality and corruption, while accusing billionaires of wielding disproportionate influence over American politics. His campaign also benefited from Republican divisions following a bruising primary in which Trump backed Paxton over incumbent Senator John Cornyn, 74. Cornyn, considered by several Republican leaders to be a stronger general-election candidate, lost the nomination to Paxton, whose political career has been dogged by legal and ethical controversies. Paxton, who served three terms as Texas attorney general, faced scrutiny over a federal corruption investigation, which did not result in criminal charges, and a 2023 impeachment by his own party in the Texas House over allegations that he abused his office to benefit a political donor. He was subsequently acquitted by the state Senate. He was also involved in a securities fraud case. Talarico, meanwhile, built a diverse coalition of voters, drawing support from young people, Hispanic voters, independents and moderates. An AP Voter Poll found that around three-quarters of voters under 30 and six in 10 Hispanic voters backed him. He also secured roughly two-thirds of moderate voters and support from around one in 10 Republicans. (with AP, Reuters inputs)
