By Trace Smith/Staff and Mateus Ferreira/Editor-in-Chief
Photos By Jinjer Royce/Staff
Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico framed his Republican opponent, Attorney General Ken Paxton, as bought out by billionaires during a campaign rally Tuesday at the Eagles Event Center in Tyler, framing the race as a fight against political corruption.
As early voting continues, the race between Talarico and Paxton remains closely contested and could end Republicans’ decades-long hold on the Texas Senate seat.
In his speech, Talarico focused on the rising cost of living, education, health care, and corruption fueled by donations from wealthy donors.
“This is the rot at the core of this broken, corrupt political system,” said Talarico. “We can’t afford gas, or groceries, or healthcare, because the system has been rigged by billionaires and corrupt politicians like Ken Paxton.”
Talarico emphasized a record-breaking $64 million raised through grassroots fundraising while reaffirming his campaign’s commitment not to take corporate PAC money.
Calling Paxton “the most corrupt politician in Texas,” he pointed to Paxton’s multi-million dollar net worth and his history of federal corruption investigations.
“Ken has spend his entire career enriching himself and his mega donors,” said Talarico. “I’ve spent mine working with both parties to cut your property taxes…I have a legislative record, Ken Paxton has a criminal record.”
Lone Star Rising, a super PAC supporting Talarico, has raised nearly $21 million with contributions from wealthy donors including Reid Hoffman, Simone Coxe and Stephen Mandel.
Talarico’s rally comes a week after Vice President JD Vance visited Tyler, where he endorsed Paxton and criticized Talarico as a leftist extremist.
Talarico claimed that Elon Musk is backing a smear campaign targeting him ahead of Election Day. Claiming Musk wants Paxton as “his own personal United States Senator,” he added that the CEO wants Texas’s land to build AI infrastructure.
According to Federal Election Commission filings, Musk gave $158 million to the Senate Leadership Fund, the campaign arm for the Senate GOP. The group has funneled this money to Texas PAC, which mainly deals with pro-Paxton ads.
“He is trying to buy Texas, but on November 3rd, we’re gonna send a clear message to the world’s 1st trillionaire,” Talarico said. “Texas is not for Sale.”
If elected, he promised to ban corporate money in elections, end stock trading in Congress, stop gerrymandering, and institute stricter term limits.
“I want to be a senator for every Texan who can’t afford one,” said Talarico. “You know why they’re spending $200 million against me, because I don’t take their corporate tax money, and I never will.”
The former Presbyterian minister finished off the rally with biblical analogies, saying that his campaign was like David facing off against a “Goliath” made up of megadonors and corporate PACs.
Lisa Chandler, a former legal assistant for the federal government, believes corruption has become widespread in Texas politics.
“Corruption has gone rampant with Paxton and Abbott,” said the 66-year-old. “They don’t pay enough attention to what the citizens need or want, in my opinion.”
Outside, protesters held signs with anti-LGBTQ and pro-life messaging, as they spoke with attendees about abortion restrictions.
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