Talarico slightly ahead in Texas Senate race as young men turn from MAGA

Channel 4 reported from Dallas that the Texas Senate race is tightening, with polling showing Democratic candidate James Talarico slightly ahead of Republican Ken Paxton. The channel said the margins are very narrow in a state held by Republicans for three decades and where the Republican Party had poured hundreds of millions of dollars into the campaign.

Channel 4 reported that all 435 House seats are up and that Democrats need to gain four to reach the 218-seat majority. It said 35 of the 100 Senate seats are up and that Democrats need a net gain of four to take control. The channel listed competitive Senate states including Michigan, Georgia, New Hampshire, Minnesota, North Carolina, Maine, Alaska, Ohio and Kansas.

Channel 4 reported that the Texas contest is the most expensive Senate race of all time. It said Elon Musk had poured almost $200 million into the Texas Senate race. The channel reported that Vice-President J.D. Vance campaigned with Paxton in Weatherford, while Talarico rallied in Dallas.

Channel 4 reported that Paxton had been indicted for corruption by fellow Texas lawmakers and later acquitted. It said Trump backed Paxton over a veteran senator because of his loyalty to the president. The channel described Talarico as a former middle school teacher studying for a master's in divinity who combines pastoral empathy with a football coach's pep talk.

Channel 4's Kiran Moodley reported that young men who were central to the Republican coalition in 2024 have turned on MAGA. At Texas A&M University, the channel heard students criticise spending on Israel and ask for lower egg prices. It presented the shift as part of the Democratic opportunity in a state that has long voted Republican.