Paxton rallies Texas GOP, targets Talarico in Senate race

HOUSTON – Texas Republicans rallied behind Senate nominee Ken Paxton on Friday, celebrating his defeat of establishment-backed Sen. John Cornyn and opening a new front against Democrat James Talarico.

Paxton drew loud cheers from delegates at the state GOP convention, where he urged activists to unite for the November election against Democrats who have made “flipping Texas is their top priority.”

But Paxton cast Talarico as too liberal for Texas and said that “we’re not going to let you take it.” 

“We are not backing down. We are not surrendering,” he said.

The speech marked the first major appearance for Paxton, the state’s attorney general, since defeating Cornyn in a brutal runoff that divided factions of the Texas GOP. President Donald Trump endorsed Paxton in the campaign’s closing days, and he easily won the nomination.

For years, conservative activists had accused Cornyn, a four-term incumbent, of being too aligned with Washington and disloyal to Trump and conservative causes. Paxton’s victory marked perhaps their biggest win yet against the party’s old guard.

Cornyn did not attend the convention after spending the week publicly criticizing the direction of the Texas GOP and warning that Republicans must focus on winning elections rather than appealing to “keyboard warriors” on social media.

On Friday, Paxton called for unity while training his fire on Talarico, a state representative from Austin.

“No matter who you supported in the primary, I will work every day to earn your support,” he said.

He also thanked Trump repeatedly and credited the president’s endorsement with helping propel him to victory.

“When everyone in Washington told him to abandon me and the people of Texas, he didn’t listen,” Paxton said.

Early polls show a competitive race between Paxton and Talarico, though a Democrat hasn’t won a statewide race since 1994.

Paxton cast Texas as a national political firewall. “Today, Texas stands as the last line of defense against the failed policies of the left,” he said.

Texas Democratic Party Chairman Kendall Scudder said Republicans were coming together not out of strength but necessity. He said voters increasingly are unhappy with rising property taxes, public school funding fights and other GOP-led policies.

“Their unity is a survival mechanism,” he said. “The people of Texas have caught on to their grift and they’re ready to hold them accountable.”

Talarico also has highlighted Paxton’s legal and personal troubles, including a securities fraud case that ended in a plea deal, a 2023 Texas House impeachment that ended in acquittal and divorce from state Sen. Angela Paxton amid allegations of extramarital affairs.

Throughout the runoff, Cornyn warned that Paxton would become a liability in November, forcing national Republicans to spend money defending a state long considered safely Republican.

At the convention, elected officials repeatedly stressed unity, saying Republicans must rally behind Paxton to keep the seat in GOP hands.

“We must stand together,” Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said Friday.

Republicans have portrayed Talarico as too liberal for Texas, targeting his past comments on religion, immigration, LGBTQ issues and even beef consumption. 

Much of Paxton’s speech was used to bash Talarico, mocking him as “low T Talarico” and “six-gender Jimmy.”

He “is a threat to everything we hold dear” and he’s “desperately trying to change the truth of what he is,” Paxton said. “He will not represent Texas values in Washington.”

Paxton recounted his record as attorney general, emphasizing lawsuits against the Obama and Biden administrations, border security efforts, parental rights issues and fights against tech and pharmaceutical companies.

He also touted what he described as the state’s first detransition clinic and pledged to continue advancing the “America First” agenda in Washington.