‘Donald Trump faces humiliation in a state that is been Republican for 30 years’
Each week from now until November’s Midterm elections, we’re going to look at one of the states to watch. And few states are going to be as unexpectedly fruity as Texas.
“Texas?” I hear you say. “The Lone Star State? The home of JR, oil barons and steaks you could take a nap on? Surely there’s no way such a deeply red state could be at risk of turning blue.” That’s what everyone thought, until a few months ago.
See, four-term Republican Senator John Cornyn – an establishment Republican – faced a primary challenge from the Texas attorney general, Ken Paxton. Cornyn had touted his long record of supporting Trump’s agenda in the primary campaign.
But the President has a long memory and recalled Cornyn had had some misgivings about his candidacy back in 2016 and his return for a second go in 2024. So at the last minute, Trump endorsed Paxton, a more straightforward MAGA type, a few days before the election.
And Paxton gave him a thumping in the Primary run-off, despite having quite the history of his own. There was the failure to disclose his investments, the accusations of securities fraud and the 2023 impeachment trial after he brought a lawsuit against Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin in 2020 over discredited election fraud claims.
But perhaps the most egregious of his misdemeanours was when he was caught on camera nicking a $1,000 Montblanc Pen that had been mistakenly left behind by another lawyer at the security checkpoint of a courthouse. The theft was captured on CCTV, which Democrat rival James Talarico used in an absolutely delightful campaign ad last month.
Talarico is a former teacher and current member of the Texas House. While serving in the Texas House, he’s been studying for a Masters in Divinity from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary. And in a state where Trump won by 14 points in 2024, Democrat Talarico is currently polling 5-11 points ahead of Paxton.
So while Trump’s influence on primary elections is undeniable, the Texas Senate race is going to be a real test of whether that influence carries over into a general election – even in one of the most traditionally red states in the country.
And if Texas flips…it’s going to the story of election night.
To get more stories, gossip and analysis like this in your inbox every week, sign up for The US Dispatch, our weekly newsletter that keeps tabs on Donald Trump so you don’t have to.
