Cruz warns Republicans shouldn’t take Texas Senate race for ‘granted’
Sen.Ted Cruz urged Republicans not to treat Texas’s Senate race as a sure win for the GOP after Texas AG Ken Paxton’s primary victory over Sen. John Cornyn.Cruz warned that Democratic nominee James Talarico is “risky,” pointing to Democrats’ sustained enthusiasm-similar to how the Democratic Party was “energized” during Cruz’s reelection campaigns-and warning that Republicans can fall into complacency.
Cruz drew a direct comparison to 2018, when Democrats hoped to flip his seat and showed up in large numbers. He argued that in 2018 Republican turnout was weaker partly because President Donald Trump wasn’t on the ballot, helping drive Cruz’s narrower 2.6% win. Cruz suggested that a comparable dynamic could emerge in 2026 and said Talarico resembles Beto O’Rourke in how he could appeal to voters.
He also criticized Talarico’s tone and presentation, saying Talarico’s “all-shucks” demeanor makes him seem reassuring to people who aren’t closely following politics. Cruz acknowledged that Paxton is still likely to win in November,but maintained that red-state history alone won’t guarantee victory in the Senate race. The piece notes that Talarico’s campaign reported strong fundraising momentum immediately after paxton’s primary win and that the *Washington Examiner* reached out to the Talarico campaign for comment.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) advised Republicans to not assume the Texas Senate race is a guaranteed win for the GOP, drawing parallels to an “energized” Democratic Party during his reelection campaigns.
Following Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s primary win against four-term Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) on Tuesday, Cruz warned Republicans nationwide that Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico is “dangerous.”
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“The Democrats believe they have a chance to win the general,” Cruz said on his podcast Wednesday. “I got a message to Republicans in Texas and nationwide: Do not take this general election for granted.”
Cruz said during both of his reelection campaigns, he was Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s (D-NY) “No. 1 target in the country.”
“They’ve thrown everything in the kitchen sink trying to take me out and I’ve been there, and they’re getting ready to do that to Ken Paxton,” Cruz said. “There is potentially a real analogy between 2026 and 2018.”
In 2018, Cruz ran against former Rep. Beto O’Rourke, a closely watched race in which Democrats hoped to flip Cruz’s seat blue. It was also the most expensive Senate race at the time, according to the Houston Chronicle.
Similar to 2026, Cruz said the left was “enraged” about President Donald Trump and “energized” to turn Texas blue for the first time since Sen. Lloyd Bentsen (D-TX) won his reelection campaign in 1988.
Democrats showed up in massive numbers in 2018, with Cruz winning by only 2.6% compared with his 16.1% edge in 2012.
Cruz attributes the 2018 numbers to “complacency” within the Republican Party, as Trump wasn’t on the ballot, leading to lower GOP turnout.
Democrats view Texas as a key to taking back control of the Senate with a Talarico victory to replace Cornyn.
Talarico’s campaign garnered record donations Tuesday following Paxton’s victory, seeing a $600,000 haul in the two hours after the race was called, according to Politico.
Despite Cruz believing Paxton will win in November, he still cautioned Republicans, arguing that Texas’s red-state history isn’t enough to guarantee a win in the Senate race.
Continuing to draw similarities between 2026 and 2018, Cruz said Talarico is “reminiscent” of O’Rourke.
“James Talarico is absolutely extreme,” Cruz said. “But I will tell you what makes Talarico dangerous, and what worries me is he packages it in this very nice all-shucks demeanor and he sounds like a preacher.”
WHAT HAS TALARICO DONE WITH HIS TWO MONTHS AS THE ONLY OFFICIAL TEXAS SENATE NOMINEE?
“What worries me is someone who is not paying much attention to politics might turn on the TV and look at him and say, ‘Oh he seems like a nice young man,’” he added.
The Washington Examiner contacted the Talarico campaign for comment.
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