Top Senate Republicans are injecting millions of dollars into Texas to secure the GOP's hold on a key Senate seat as the midterm elections approach. The Senate Leadership Fund, a super PAC aligned with Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., has launched the Texas PAC, activating a significant campaign fund to support Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's bid for the U.S. Senate.
Paxton is currently in a close contest with Texas State Rep. James Talarico, whom Republicans characterize as too progressive for the traditionally Republican state. "As the Democrat Party gets pulled further to the left, extreme candidates like James Talarico are becoming the norm," Thune stated. "Republicans are united in keeping him out of the U.S. Senate, which is why I’m proud of the work the Senate Leadership Fund is doing to ensure Texas stays red."
The new PAC is set to initiate an eight-figure advertising campaign on Friday, following the conclusion of the Republican National Committee's midterm convention in Dallas. The group plans to maintain continuous ad placements through Election Day. The initial advertisements will focus on presenting Paxton favorably, with others designed to highlight contrasts between the candidates.
This influx of financial support marks a shift for Senate Republican leadership, who had previously fully backed Senator John Cornyn, R-Texas. However, following Donald Trump's endorsement of Paxton over Cornyn, Republicans are now presenting a unified front to support Paxton's campaign against Talarico.
Recent public opinion polls suggest Talarico holds a narrow single-digit lead over Paxton. A Fox News poll conducted in late July showed Talarico leading Paxton 51% to 48%. This race is considered one of several pivotal contests that will determine the Republican Party's control of the Senate.
The launch of the Texas PAC follows a substantial contribution from MAGA, Inc., the super PAC associated with former President Donald Trump, which made its first major midterm buy of $10 million to aid Paxton's campaign.
This combined support from the Texas PAC and MAGA Inc. provides a critical boost for Paxton, who faces a significant fundraising deficit compared to Talarico. Talarico's campaign has reported raising over $72 million since initiating his Senate campaign last year, while Paxton's campaign has raised approximately $17 million, according to federal filings. Paxton attributed the difference in fundraising partly to his primary battle, which extended into May, giving Talarico an additional three months to raise and spend campaign funds. "Talarico had three extra months to raise money and not spend it. So he was able to start spending on ads that tried to pivot him from a radical socialist to a moderate Democrat," Paxton said. "So he's been running ads for about two months. My ads have just started. We had to raise some money. But once we're able to highlight the stark differences between a socialist and a constitutional Republican, he will not win Texas."