Texas Senate Race: Fundraising, Border Tour and Political Attacks Shape Campaign AUSTIN – The Senate race between Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton and Democrat state Rep. James Talarico has intensified in recent weeks, with significant developments emerging in fundraising, political strategy, and public engagement. Talarico’s campaign reported raising $30 million during the second quarter, more than triple Paxton’s $9 million, marking a stark contrast in financial support. This surge in donations for Talarico, who previously raised $27 million in the first three months of the year, highlights his focus on lowering costs and fighting corruption. Paxton’s campaign, however, framed the donations as evidence of enthusiasm for sending a “proven conservative fighter” to Washington. The fundraising gap has drawn attention from prominent Republicans, including Sen. Ted Cruz, who warned his party not to underestimate Talarico’s viability. During an appearance on Sean Hannity’s radio show, Cruz emphasized that the Democrat “has a real chance” to flip the Senate seat. He acknowledged Talarico’s appeal, describing him as charming and affable, but cautioned that some voters may be unaware of his “too extreme” policy positions. Cruz predicted Paxton’s victory, a sentiment echoed by Gov. Greg Abbott, who called Talarico “very beatable once Texans get to know who he really is.” Talarico’s campaign has also shifted focus to grassroots outreach with a 750-mile “Frontera Tour” starting in El Paso. The initiative, which includes town halls, church visits, and policy announcements, aims to connect with border communities that have been overlooked by both parties.#ken_paxton #james_talarico #governor_greg_abbott #sen_ted_cruz #waco_attorney_adam_hoffman
James Talarico's Border Security Plan: Emphasizing Technology and Staffing Over Physical Barriers Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico unveiled a border security strategy on Monday that prioritizes surveillance technology and expanded staffing over the construction of physical barriers. The plan, which has garnered support from three rural border sheriffs—including a Republican—calls for hiring more border patrol agents to apprehend undocumented crossers and increasing the number of immigration judges to expedite asylum claims. Talarico acknowledged the necessity of physical barriers in densely populated border regions but explicitly opposed their construction in Texas’ rugged Big Bend area, citing the impracticality of building fencing on such terrain. The Democrat, running against Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in the November 3 election, framed his approach as a bipartisan solution to border security challenges. During a campaign stop in Terrell County, Talarico criticized both parties for failing to address border issues effectively. “I have said that Joe Biden and his administration failed us on our southern border,” he stated, adding that most Texans and Americans seek a “common-sense approach” to security. His remarks were echoed by Terrell County Sheriff Thaddeus Cleveland, a Republican who previously served as a Border Patrol agent for 26 years. Cleveland, who supported Governor Greg Abbott’s border crackdown during the Biden administration, praised Talarico’s plan as aligning with his own priorities. Cleveland emphasized the natural barriers along the Rio Grande, including cliffs up to 1,500 feet high, which he described as “God-made” defenses.#border_patrol #ken_paxton #james_talarico #governor_greg_abbott #thaddeus_cleveland
Poll: Paxton and Talarico are virtually tied in Senate race A new poll released by the Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas at Austin has found Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton and Democratic state Rep. James Talarico are nearly tied in the race for the U.S. Senate, with Paxton leading 43% to 42% in a survey of 1,200 registered voters conducted between June 5 and 12. The 3.5-point margin of error underscores a highly competitive race, as the results align with earlier polls showing a tight contest since the general election nominees were finalized last month. This marks a significant shift from an earlier survey by the same pollster in April, where Paxton trailed Talarico by 8 percentage points. The latest poll, conducted three weeks after Paxton secured the Republican nomination by defeating U.S. Sen. John Cornyn in the GOP runoff, highlights a dramatic change in Republican voter sentiment. While 84% of Republicans now support Paxton—a 21-point increase from the April survey—his overall support has risen to 43%, up 9 points from April. Talarico’s support remains steady at 42%, with 5% of Republicans indicating they would back him. The poll also reveals that Talarico holds commanding leads among independents and moderates, though more than a third of independents have yet to form an opinion on the race. Talarico’s strategy has focused on appealing to Cornyn’s traditional Republican base, which remains skeptical of Paxton’s controversial history, as well as broader voter groups. Paxton, meanwhile, faces the challenge of minimizing potential GOP defections and ensuring strong turnout without President Donald Trump on the ballot. The race has also taken on a cultural dimension, with Paxton leading Talarico by 9 points among male voters.#university_of_texas_at_austin #john_cornyn #ken_paxton #james_talarico #governor_greg_abbott
Mayor John Whitmire's Proposed Changes Could Erode New ICE Policy’s Effectiveness, Legal Experts Say Mayor John Whitmire and Houston Police Chief Noe Diaz addressed media concerns about police interactions with immigration agents following reports of officers violating policies by transporting individuals to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, during a March 11, 2026, news conference at HPD headquarters. The incident sparked a contentious debate over the city’s new ICE cooperation policy, which aimed to limit police interactions with immigration agents. The policy, which had been a point of contention between city and state leaders for nearly two weeks, eliminated a previous requirement for officers to wait 30 minutes for ICE officials to arrive when encountering someone with a civil immigration warrant. This change came after Governor Greg Abbott’s office threatened to withhold $114 million in state grants unless the city rescinded the policy by April 20, 2026. Abbott’s letter to Whitmire stated that the city was out of compliance with an agreement to receive grant funds, warning of potential repayment if the policy was not revoked. In response, Whitmire called for a special council meeting on April 17 to vote on rescinding the policy. However, after negotiations with state leaders, the deadline was extended to Wednesday, April 21. Instead of repealing the policy, Whitmire’s team proposed amendments to the original ordinance, aiming to balance compliance with state funding and local legal concerns. Legal experts criticized the amendments as weakening the policy’s effectiveness. Travis Fife, an attorney with the Texas Civil Rights Project, argued that the revised language risked allowing police to prolong detentions based solely on administrative warrants.#governor_greg_abbott #mayor_john_whitmire #houston_police_department #travis_fife #jennefer_canalespelaez
Wide Swath of the U.S. Faces Days of Severe Weather A major storm system is set to bring multiple days of severe weather across a large portion of the United States, with forecasters warning of significant risks through early next week. Friday is highlighted as one of the most dangerous days, with severe thunderstorms, large hail, damaging winds, flooding, and tornadoes expected to impact regions from Texas to the Great Lakes. The Storm Prediction Center has issued warnings that severe weather is likely each day for the next eight days, with Friday and Tuesday identified as the peak threat periods. Meteorologists attribute the severe conditions to a stalled weather front stretching across the Central United States, from the southern Plains to the Ohio Valley. This system is interacting with warm, moist air moving northward from the Gulf of Mexico, creating atmospheric instability that fuels severe thunderstorms. Enhanced risk warnings have been issued for Friday and Saturday, particularly in the southern and central Plains, including major cities such as Oklahoma City, Kansas City, Missouri, and Tulsa, Oklahoma. In Texas, Governor Greg Abbott has activated emergency resources to prepare for the storm. Forecasters warn that some of the strongest storms could produce tornadoes, wind gusts exceeding 80 miles per hour, and hail larger than two inches in diameter. Repeated thunderstorms also pose a risk of flash flooding, with the Weather Prediction Center indicating rainfall totals of up to two inches possible. Heavier precipitation, ranging from three to five inches, is expected in parts of northern Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas on Thursday and Friday. Additional areas at risk include parts of Missouri, Kentucky, and southern portions of Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio.#tornadoes #national_weather_service #storm_prediction_center #weather_prediction_center #governor_greg_abbott
