The race for the Texas U.S. Senate seat appears to be tightening.
This week, both the Cook Political Report and Fox News Power Rankings moved the contest between Republican Ken Paxton and Democratic state Representative James Talarico from “Lean Republican” to “Toss-up.”
A recent Fox News poll found Talarico leading Paxton 51% to 48% among registered voters — a difference within the poll’s margin of error.
Texas has not elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate since 1988.
One issue that appears to be a drag on Paxton appears to be a long history of scandals and allegations of corruption.
Paxton has survived criminal charges, impeachment and investigations into allegations that he abused his office to help a political donor.
He was acquitted by the Texas Senate, federal prosecutors declined to charge him, and his securities-fraud case was dismissed after he completed a pretrial agreement.
Paxton maintains that he has been the target of politically motivated attacks.
But the left leaning campaign-finance reform group End Citizens United says that record— and new questions about Paxton’s wealth, campaign donors and official conduct —make him one of the most corrupt politicians running for office in 2026.
The group has endorsed Paxton’s Democratic opponent, James Talarico, in the race for the U.S. Senate. It is promising to make Paxton’s ethics a major issue in the campaign.
Tiffany Muller is the president of End Citizens United. She joins us to explain what evidence supports the designation and what the organization means by “corruption.”
TPR reached out to the Paxton campaign for a response to the allegations of corruption and received this statement:
“James Talarico has raised $72 million. Half of his money comes from outside Texas. Tens of millions of dollars were routed through a network that is now under investigation for potential fraud. His super PAC has taken twelve cents on the dollar from Texans, took $3.75 million routed out of the Sixteen Thirty Fund (the largest dark-money hub in Democrat politics), and got a single $10 million check from one Silicon Valley billionaire that accounted for nearly eighty percent of its quarterly haul. The man running against ‘billionaires buying elections’ is actively selling himself and Texas to coastal elites and billionaires.” — Madison Cercy, campaign spokeswoman
Family Literacy
When we think about early literacy, we often think about books and reading.
But for very young children, literacy starts much earlier — with language, conversation and the ability to describe the world around them.
As Texas Public Radio’s Yvette Benavides explains, a new environment gives parents and children new things to see, talk about and learn together.
This story has been supported by the Solutions Journalism Network, a nonprofit organization dedicated to rigorous and compelling reporting about responses to social problems.
Transmission lines
Texas is moving forward with the largest expansion of its electric transmission system in state history — a roughly $33 billion buildout intended to meet soaring power demand from oil and gas operations, population growth and energy-intensive data centers.
Supporters say the new high-voltage lines are essential to prevent shortages and strengthen the grid.
But rural landowners and conservation groups warn the accelerated plan could carve massive corridors through family ranches, wildlife habitat and some of the state’s most environmentally sensitive landscapes — including the Texas Hill Country and the Devils River region.
They are calling for greater transparency, stronger protections for property owners and routes that follow existing infrastructure whenever possible.
Romey Swanson is executive director of the Devils River Conservancy.
