{"id":2607694,"date":"2026-05-28T06:22:02","date_gmt":"2026-05-28T10:22:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/texas-temptation-democrats-eye-risky-senate-gamble\/"},"modified":"2026-05-28T06:28:12","modified_gmt":"2026-05-28T10:28:12","slug":"texas-temptation-democrats-eye-risky-senate-gamble","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/texas-temptation-democrats-eye-risky-senate-gamble\/","title":{"rendered":"Texas temptation: Democrats eye risky Senate gamble"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">14<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ftexas-temptation-democrats-eye-risky-senate-gamble%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2607694&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The Texas GOP\u2019s choice to nominate embattled Attorney General ken Paxton instead of longtime Sen. John Cornyn is reshaping a major Democratic debate ahead of 2026: whether Texas is finally competitive enough to justify a large Senate investment.<\/p>\n<p>Democrats quickly portrayed Paxton as their best statewide opening in years, but strategists say the bigger question is whether national Democrats can afford to bet \u201chundreds of millions\u201d on a state that has repeatedly resisted them. Their path back to Senate control is extremely tight, with limited pickup opportunities even with strong performances in other targeted states.<\/p>\n<p>After Paxton\u2019s victory, major race forecasters lowered expectations for Democrats\u2019 prospects slightly and noted that Paxton\u2019s controversies may make the general election uniquely elaborate. Paxton survived impeachment in 2023, faced a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/scandal-plagued-illinois-democrat-resigns-from-office\/\" title=\"Scandal-Plagued Illinois Democrat Resigns from Office\">federal bribery investigation<\/a> that closed without charges, and has been viewed warily by parts of the Republican establishment-factors that could influence both voter sentiment and how enthusiastically outside groups and donors unite behind him.<\/p>\n<p>On the democratic side,nominee James Talarico moved immediately to capitalize on the opening,quickly boosting fundraising and arguing-backed by favorable or near-tied polling-that he can win Texas. His campaign highlights efforts to build broad support and reach younger, Black, and Latino voters through events and a large digital operation. Still, Republicans have begun counterattacks, including ads targeting Talarico\u2019s past remarks on gender and conservative groups framing him as \u201cwoke\u201d or extreme.<\/p>\n<p>Even some Democratic leaders describe Texas as an expensive,challenging battlefield as campaigns must reach voters across many media markets and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/michael-barone-will-republicans-find-a-way-to-get-their-way-in-2024\/\" title=\"Michael Barone: Will Republicans Find a Way to Get Their Way in 2024?\">major metro areas<\/a>,fueling internal disagreements over whether money should be spent in Texas or rather in places with clearer roads to victory. former DSCC chair Sen. Gary Peters suggested decisions may need to evolve in real time based on polling and conditions, but said Texas trends appear favorable for Talarico \u201cin the numbers.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>At the same time, GOP operatives acknowledge paxton could force Republicans to spend heavily defending a seat that would otherwise be easier-especially given the high cost of the bruising primary and runoff. Republicans also enter the cycle with a substantial funding advantage though critics warn the party could be underestimating how unexpectedly difficult Texas might become with Paxton as the nominee.<\/p>\n<p>Whether texas becomes a high-stakes payoff-or a costly distraction-has therefore emerged as a central strategic question for both parties in the 2026 Senate race.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Texas GOP\u2019s decision to nominate <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/ken-paxton\/\">Attorney General Ken Paxton <\/a>over longtime <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4583632\/james-talarico-and-ken-paxton-court-the-cornyn-vote\/\">Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX)<\/a> is reigniting one of the Democratic Party\u2019s most persistent political debates: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4584099\/cruz-texas-senate-talarico-for-granted-paxton\/\">whether Texas <\/a>is finally becoming competitive enough to justify a massive Senate investment.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Democrats immediately celebrated Paxton\u2019s victory as a possible turning point, arguing the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/exclusive-ted-cruz-lists-five-questions-ag-garland-must-answer-during-senate-testimony\/\" title=\"EXCLUSIVE: Ted Cruz Lists Five Questions AG Garland Must Answer During Senate Testimony\">embattled attorney general<\/a> gives them their best statewide opening in years. But beneath the excitement is a deeper strategic question hanging over the 2026 map: whether national Democrats risk pouring hundreds of millions into a state that has repeatedly disappointed them at the ballot box.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4584367\/big-2026-races-trump-could-wade-into-next\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>What big 2026 races could Trump wade into next?<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4584684\/thune-backs-ken-paxton-texas-primary\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Thune backs Ken Paxton after divisive Texas primary<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4584542\/republicans-will-rally-around-paxton-lauren-green\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Republicans will \u2018rally\u2019 around Paxton: Lauren Green<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The stakes are unusually high because Democrats face a razor-thin path back to the Senate majority, which is helping fuel the growing Texas conversation. <\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/4527445\/senate-map-shifts-democrats-majority-stretch-goal\">the current Senate landscape<\/a>, Democrats have little margin for error in their push to reclaim the chamber. The party is expected to hold most of its own seats, but realistic pickup opportunities remain limited. Democrats are heavily targeting Republican-held seats in North Carolina and Georgia while also competing in several true battlegrounds, including Maine, Michigan, and Ohio. But even a near-perfect performance in those races may not be enough to secure a majority, leaving party strategists increasingly focused on whether they need an additional breakthrough in a more difficult state such as Texas or Alaska to complete the map.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The nation\u2019s top race handicappers immediately recalibrated the contest after Paxton\u2019s victory. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/kkondik\/status\/2059439649789972745?s=20\">Sabato\u2019s Crystal Ball <\/a>moved the race from \u201cLikely Republican\u201d to \u201cLeans Republican,\u201d while <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cookpolitical.com\/analysis\/senate\/texas-senate\/texas-senate-moves-lean-republican-after-paxton-runoff-win\">Cook Political Report <\/a>warned Republicans now face a weaker and more controversial general election nominee in Paxton than they would have with Cornyn.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The reassessment reflects the unusual liabilities Paxton brings into a general election. The Texas attorney general survived impeachment in 2023 over corruption-related allegations after being acquitted by the state Senate. He also faced a federal bribery investigation that later closed without charges and has long been viewed warily by parts of the Republican establishment. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Those controversies are expected to shape both the political and financial dynamics of the race. Operatives in both parties anticipate one of the most expensive Senate contests in the country, while questions remain about whether major Republican-aligned outside groups and establishment donors will fully rally behind Paxton after years of tension with the GOP establishment.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Democratic nominee James Talarico moved quickly to capitalize on the moment. Within hours of Paxton\u2019s victory, Talarico announced he had raised $600,000 online, adding to a campaign operation that says it has already surpassed $40 million.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Talarico\u2019s campaign also <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/f\/?id=0000019e-67d8-d0fd-a3de-f7ddbd600000\">circulated a memo<\/a>, first shared with <em>Politico,<\/em> arguing he is \u201cthe best-positioned candidate in a generation to win Texas,\u201d pointing to recent polling showing him tied with or narrowly ahead of Paxton. The memo highlighted Paxton\u2019s negative favorability ratings, particularly among independents, and argued Talarico has built an unusually broad coalition for a Texas Democrat.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The campaign further argued that Talarico\u2019s fundraising and digital operation could help Democrats reconnect with younger, black, and Latino voters who drifted toward President Donald Trump in recent election cycles. According to the memo, the campaign has recruited more than 45,000 volunteers, hosted more than 650 events statewide, and generated more than 1 billion social media views.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yet, Talarico also faces obstacles. After Paxton\u2019s win on Tuesday, national Republicans have already begun running ads highlighting Talarico\u2019s prior statements that \u201cGod is nonbinary\u201d and that there are \u201csix sexes.\u201d The conservative Club for Growth, in particular, is out with an <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/DavidMMcintosh\/status\/2059627179328131273?s=20\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/x.com\/DavidMMcintosh\/status\/2059627179328131273?s=20\">ad calling<\/a> Talarico a \u201cwoke weirdo.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Democratic strategist Brad Bannon said Democrats would be making a mistake if they ignored the opening altogether, particularly given Paxton\u2019s political baggage and Trump\u2019s declining standing with some voters in the state.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI think it\u2019s a legitimate toss-up,\u201d Bannon told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>, arguing Republicans made a risky choice by nominating Paxton. \u201cYou\u2019ve got an attractive Democratic candidate, a scandal-ridden Republican candidate, so I say, go for it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Bannon added Democrats could benefit strategically even if Texas remains difficult terrain, forcing Republicans to spend heavily defending a state that traditionally would not require major resources.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIf they have any hopes of getting Paxton through, they\u2019re going to have to spend big time,\u201d Bannon said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Still, Democrats have heard versions of this story before.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For more than a decade, Democratic strategists argued Texas\u2019s rapid population growth and increasing diversity would eventually make the state competitive statewide. The optimism surged during the Obama years and again during former Rep. Beto O\u2019Rourke\u2019s 2018 Senate challenge against Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX). O\u2019Rourke lost by just 2.6 percentage points after raising more than $80 million. But those hopes cooled again after former Rep. Colin Allred (D-TX) lost to Cruz by a significantly wider margin in 2024, while Trump won the state by nearly 14 percentage points.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Texas also remains one of the most difficult and expensive states in the country to compete in statewide. Campaigns must navigate 20 separate media markets and several of the nation\u2019s largest metropolitan areas, forcing candidates to spend enormous sums simply to remain visible across the state. That reality has fueled growing debate inside Democratic circles over whether Texas is worth the investment.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Former Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Chairman Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) suggested decisions about investing in Texas would likely evolve over time rather than being made upfront, <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >arguing party committees typically adjust spending<\/a> as polling and the political environment shift.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cYou put investments in the state to build some of the infrastructure that you need,\u201d Peters told the<em> Washington Examiner <\/em>ahead of the runoff. \u201cThen you make decisions in real time as things are going. You see how polling is, you see how the environment is, and then you make decisions accordingly.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Still, Peters acknowledged the emerging Texas dynamics appear favorable for Democrats.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhat\u2019s happening in Texas just really bodes well for Mr. Talarico,\u201d Peters said. \u201cYou\u2019re seeing that in the numbers.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A national GOP strategist, speaking on the condition of anonymity, argued Texas could create a uniquely difficult strategic dilemma for both parties.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cTexas creates a complicated dynamic for Democrats because the race could attract huge amounts of grassroots enthusiasm even if national strategists remain skeptical about the state\u2019s viability,\u201d the strategist said. \u201cAt the same time, I do think Texas presents a real problem for Republicans because Talarico is raising an enormous amount of money while Paxton has historically been a much weaker fundraiser.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That tension is now becoming one of the central strategic debates of the 2026 cycle and leaves Democrats contemplating aggressively expanding the Senate map into expensive long-shot territory such as Texas or concentrating resources on states with more established paths to victory.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cTexas is always tempting for Democrats because of the size of the prize, but campaigns still have to make hard decisions about where money goes the furthest,\u201d a Democratic strategist involved in Senate races told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>. \u201cYou can <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/obama-tells-dems-to-stop-obsessing-over-trump\/\" title=\"Obama Tells Dems to Stop Obsessing Over Trump\">spend enormous amounts<\/a> trying to stretch the map in Texas, or you can invest that same money in states where the path is shorter and the margins are tighter.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Even some GOP operatives privately acknowledge Paxton could make the general election far more complicated than a typical Texas Senate race. The bruising primary and runoff alone cost an estimated $129 million, forcing conservative groups and donors to spend heavily defending a seat that ordinarily would not require that level of investment.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One donor aligned with Paxton predicted skeptical donors and party operatives would ultimately rally behind the nominee out of concern over protecting the GOP Senate majority. As part of that effort, Paxton is scheduled to headline a Washington fundraiser next week alongside Cruz, according to an invitation circulated to lobbyists Wednesday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Republicans are also entering the midterm cycle with a massive financial edge. Campaign finance filings show Trump and aligned GOP groups have amassed roughly $954 million, compared to about $267 million raised by Democrats.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"http:\/\/m\"><strong>CORNYN\u2019S BLOWOUT LOSS EXPOSES POLLING MISS IN TEXAS PRIMARY <\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Even so, some argue the party may be underestimating the risk.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cPaxton supporters are kidding themselves if they think Texas is fool\u2019s gold for Democrats,\u201d GOP strategist Dennis Lennox said. \u201cCruz had a fully unified Republican Party behind him in 2018 and still nearly got beat by Beto.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>David Sivak contributed to this report.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Texas GOP\u2019s Ken Paxton nod revives debate: can Texas justify huge Senate spending? Democrats cheer Paxton\u2019s win<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2657,"featured_media":2607695,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/AP26147666937642.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[3685,34059,3740,3694],"class_list":["post-2607694","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-democrats","tag-election-2024","tag-senate","tag-texas"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/AP26147666937642.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2607694","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2657"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2607694"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2607694\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2607698,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2607694\/revisions\/2607698"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2607695"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2607694"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2607694"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2607694"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}