Democrat James Talarico wins Texas Senate seat against Republican Ken Paxton

Democrat James Talarico won a U.S. Senate seat in Texas on November 4, 2026, beating Republican Ken Paxton. No Democrat has won a Senate race in Texas since 1988, so the result is a major break from the past. Talarico, 37, is a former teacher and state politician. He will become the youngest senator in the country. During his campaign, he focused on the rising cost of living and argued that Republican leadership was to blame. His opponent Paxton, the state's top law officer, had personal problems that hurt his campaign. Republicans spent $168 million on ads against Talarico. Democrats also won full control of Congress, and Texas Governor Greg Abbott lost his reelection bid, the first such loss for a Republican governor in Texas in decades.