Texas Senate race tops $1 billion mark

The contest between Democratic candidate James Talarico and Republican Ken Paxton for the U.S. Senate seat in Texas has become the costliest nonpresidential race in American history. The financial scale of the campaign is drawing national attention as the two parties prepare for the November 3 vote.

Talarico and his supporters gathered at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas for a joint rally with state gubernatorial candidate Gina Hinojosa. The event marked a final push for the Democratic ticket ahead of Election Day. Hinojosa, who is challenging incumbent Governor Greg Abbott, addressed the crowd on issues including public education and health care.

"Texas is a world economic powerhouse and it is the people of Texas who built that power. But the thing about power is that nobody is going to give it to us. We have to take it back. And that is what this is election is about, taking back that power," Hinojosa said.

Talarico positioned himself as a multigenerational Texan with a background in middle school teaching and Presbyterian seminarian studies. His campaign has prioritized affordability, education, immigration, and border security. He has also targeted what he calls political corruption in the state's leadership.

President Donald Trump made three trips to Texas this month to support Paxton. The former governor's presence in the state underscores the high stakes of the Senate race. Talarico told the Dallas crowd that his opponents were intensifying their efforts in the final days. "In the final days of this election they are coming at us with everything they've got," Talarico said. "They are scared. They are terrified. They see what we see. That we're about to win this elections on November third."

Voters at the rally cited economic conditions and the state of the nation as primary motivations. Ralph Lopez, a Texas resident, argued that elected officials must prioritize constituent needs over their own interests. "What I see with this current administration, a lot of them, especially on the right is it's for them, it's not for the people," Lopez said.

Another supporter, Molina, stated that preserving democracy was their top concern, though high gas prices and inflation remained important factors. "My top concern is that we continue to be a democracy. That is my top concern. But in terms of other issues, gas is still expensive, inflation is still around," Molina said. The rally ended with Talarico referencing the biblical story of David and Goliath to emphasize the importance of Dallas voters in the final stretch.