President Donald Trump will visit Texas again for the final chapter of the midterm campaign, aiming to boost Republican voters in a tight Senate race. Trump will appear in Corpus Christi on Tuesday morning before traveling to Lubbock, West Texas, with Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton.
This visit is exactly one week before Election Day, with early voting already in progress. Republicans face an unexpectedly competitive Senate race in a state Trump won by nearly 14 percentage points two years ago. A new Fox News poll reveals a deadlock against Democrat State Rep. James Talarico.
“Texas voters have varied opinions on whether the Lone Star State could turn blue.”
Trump’s trip marks his fourth visit to Texas since Labor Day. Earlier, he attended a GOP midterm convention in Dallas, an event at the Peterbilt manufacturing plant in Denton, and a rally in San Antonio with Paxton.
A Fox News poll shows Paxton, the state’s attorney general, and Talarico are tied at 49% among likely voters in the race to replace retiring Sen. John Cornyn. Last month, Talarico had a slight lead over Paxton.
The contest between Paxton and Talarico, a former teacher and state lawmaker, aims to end the Democrats’ 30-year statewide losing trend in Texas. The race is one of several that will decide the GOP’s hold on the Senate majority.
Talarico will campaign at Texas Tech on the same day Trump and Paxton rally in Lubbock. Both candidates are making distinct appeals to voters. Paxton attempts to link Talarico to national Democrats while highlighting past controversial remarks by him. In contrast, Talarico leverages dissatisfaction with Trump’s economic policies.
Democrats show a higher enthusiasm level, with 69% extremely interested in the election compared to 61% of Republicans. Paxton faces resistance within his party, with 90% of Republicans supporting him versus 98% of Democrats backing Talarico.
Paxton’s history of scandals includes a 2023 impeachment by the Texas House, from which he was acquitted by the state Senate. His contentious divorce adds to his challenges.
Aside from the Senate race, Texas plays a pivotal role for the House, especially after Republicans redrew congressional maps for more GOP opportunities. The upcoming election will gauge if Trump’s 2024 gains among Hispanic voters continue. Hispanic likely voters prefer Talarico 64%-34%, a shift from the previous election.
Currently, pocketbook issues heavily influence voters. More voters feel financially worse than better compared to two years ago. Those worse off favor Talarico, while others side with Paxton.
As voting continues, Trump’s visit to Texas will reveal if the same coalition that supported him two years ago will emerge, this time without his name on the ballot.