A former senior aide to Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, has joined the campaign of Democratic challenger James Talarico in the upcoming Texas Senate race, a move that intensifies the battle for the crucial seat and could impact control of the U.S. Senate.
Jacob Smith, who worked for Cornyn for five years as a deputy legislative director and policy advisor, announced his decision to support Talarico, a Democratic state representative, after Cornyn's primary runoff defeat earlier this year. Smith cited Talarico's focus on the needs of everyday people over partisan politics as a reason for his switch.
"I’ve worked for Republicans like Senator Cornyn my entire career, but this year I’m proud to be joining James Talarico’s campaign," Smith stated. "Instead of playing partisan politics, Talarico speaks to the needs of everyday people who day in and day out work too hard for too little."
The contest between Talarico and Republican nominee Ken Paxton, the current Texas Attorney General, is considered one of the key midterm elections that will likely determine the balance of power in the Senate. Democrats have not won a Senate election in Texas in nearly four decades.
Smith sharply criticized Paxton, calling him "the most corrupt, self-dealing politician in Texas who would sell their futures to the highest contributor just to hold onto power." Paxton's campaign did not respond to a request for comment.
Cornyn, who lost his reelection bid to Paxton in a contentious primary runoff, has stated he will support the Republican nominee in the general election.
The departure of Smith from the Republican orbit to join Talarico's campaign is seen as a significant development that could help the Democratic nominee appeal to Republicans dissatisfied with Paxton. Recent polling indicates a tight race.
A Fox News poll conducted late last month showed Talarico holding a slight 51%-48% lead over Paxton among registered voters. The poll also suggested that Paxton had not fully unified the Republican base, with 89% of Republicans supporting him, compared to 98% of Democrats supporting Talarico.
Reflecting the race's competitiveness, the latest Fox News Power Rankings shifted the Texas Senate race from Lean Republican to toss-up.