Texas 2026 Poll: Paxton and Talarico Deadlocked in U.S. Senate Race; Abbott Leads Hinojosa by Four Points

Friday, August 14, 2026

A new Emerson College Polling/Nexstar Media survey of Texas likely voters finds the U.S. Senate race in a dead heat: 47% support Republican Ken Paxton, while 46% support Democrat James Talarico. Five percent are undecided, and 2% support someone else.

Posted by retort at 08:29 AM | 8 COMMENTS | permalink | Comment on This Entry |

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James Talarico likes to say that Ken Paxton "now owns 11 homes, while most Texans can't afford one." Talarico is going to need to update his stump speech -- because he understated matters: Paxton actually owns 15 properties (including a lot in Hawaii). www.ms.now/rachel-maddo ...

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-- Steve Benen (@stevebenen.com) 11:40 AM Â· Jul 20, 2026

Comments

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Texas, they both suck.

#1 | Posted by bat4255 at 2026-08-14 10:17 AM | Reply

What sucks is that the race is even close between an honest man and a criminal.

#2 | Posted by Corky at 2026-08-14 10:30 AM | Reply

Has Talarico concurred with the international legal and scholarly consensus regarding the ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people? Or is he still dodging that?

#3 | Posted by NerfHerder at 2026-08-14 10:46 AM | Reply

"AI Overview

Texas state Representative and U.S. Senate nominee James Talarico has condemned Israel's military actions in Gaza as "war crimes" and "atrocities," while supporting a sovereign Palestinian state alongside a secure Israel.

He opposes sending offensive weapons to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government and advocates for conditioning future military assistance."

more
www.google.com

But then, he's not used the word, 'genocide', which I would use, Int Court notwithstanding... so perhaps purist Dems in TX should stay home or write in Jill Stein instead, eh?

#4 | Posted by Corky at 2026-08-14 11:02 AM | Reply

"so perhaps purist Dems in TX should stay home or write in Jill Stein instead, eh"

Hey, if not calling it a genocide worked for Kamala Harris it can also work for James Talarico!

#5 | Posted by NerfHerder at 2026-08-14 11:22 AM | Reply | Funny: 1

No way Paxton loses.

Forget it, James. It's Texas town.

#6 | Posted by lee_the_agent at 2026-08-14 11:24 AM | Reply

True... in most of Texas, JT is having to overcome his black woman status ;)

#7 | Posted by Corky at 2026-08-14 11:25 AM | Reply

"Forget it, James. It's Texas town."

200,000 Texan Muslims might vote if Talarico calls it a genocide. I don't know if that would help or not. At least if Talarico is fated to go down, he would go down speaking truth to power. But Democrats are probably gonna Democrat this... just because it's what they're accustomed to do.

#8 | Posted by NerfHerder at 2026-08-14 11:33 AM | Reply