Ken Paxton-James Talarico for Texas Senate in US midterm elections: Mental health, flu treatment to leaked audio criticizing Donald Trump, this Texas fight is one to watch out on November 3

US midterm elections are barely a few weeks away and all eyes are on Donald Trump-led Republicans versus Democrats on November 3. Among the prominent races, Texas will be an interesting one. Democrat state representative James Talarico is taking on Republican nominee Ken Paxton. However, ahead of the elections, controversies have erupted surrounding James Talarico and Ken Paxton.

Trump endorsed Paxton in the runoff despite Washington Republicans' preference for incumbent Republican US Senator John Cornyn, who was widely believed to have an easier path to victory in a general election. Leaked audio has exposed daylight between Trump and Paxton, who privately told donors that the president's midterm convention hurt his campaign, which he said he has no control over because it is being run out of Washington, DC.

On the other hand, Talarico has faced a number of questions over his absence from the election campaign recently. James Talarico has defended his recent absence from the Texas Democratic Senate elections campaign trail citing that he was suffering from "nasty flu". In an interview with NBC Dallas-Fort Worth, Talarico said he was back and feeling better. He said that he didn't want others to fall hence as a responsible leader he took day off from the ongoing high-voltage election campaign.


There were also online speculations about Talarico's absence as many claimed that he was receiving treatment at a mental health facility in Ohio. Lindner Center of Hope and Democrats have rejected such claims as baseless allegations and accusations. Talarico himself categorically stated on X that he was not in Ohio.

Ken Paxton-James Talarico - Who will win Texas Senate Seat?

No Democrat has won statewide in Texas since 1994. James Talarico could break the cycle, though Democrats also thought the same about Beto O'Rourke and Colin Allred, both of whom lost to Republican US Senator Ted Cruz in 2018 and 2024. Talarico faces a historically weak Republican nominee in Attorney General Ken Paxton, but Texas is still Texas.

Trump won Texas by nearly 14 points in 2024. Yet Republicans have already spent a staggering $210 million to hold the seat after runoff voters nominated the scandal-plagued Paxton over incumbent Republican US Senator John Cornyn. Democrats have only spent $39 million in the Senate race, but Talarico has outraised Paxton by $60 million and reported nearly $20 million more on hand.

Recent poll results have ranged from a tie to Talarico leading by 6 points.

Republicans hold a 53-47 majority in the US Senate, where Democrats would need to flip at least two seats in states that President Donald Trump carried by double digits in 2024 to win a majority in November's midterm elections. But as Election Day nears, Democrats have a real chance at flipping the chamber, something that was considered a long shot at the beginning of this political cycle.