HOUSTON (AP) — Democratic candidate James Talarico kicked off his general election bid for the U.S. Senate on Wednesday by characterizing his Republican challenger, state Attorney General Ken Paxton, as a member of a dishonest political system that prioritizes personal gain over public service.
The Democrat has provided his party with their strongest opportunity in recent years to capture a Senate seat in Texas and has improved their challenging prospects of regaining control of the U.S. Senate this November. Talarico, a former educator and state representative from Austin, outlined his campaign approach for the coming months: highlighting Paxton’s ethical controversies to frustrated voters.
“Ken Paxton is the most corrupt politician in America,” Talarico addressed approximately 1,000 supporters gathered at a downtown Houston dance club. “He has failed the character test. He has put his own interests above the laws of Texas. Those are not my words, those are the words of Ken Paxton’s fellow Republicans.”
The candidate also connected what he described as the “rot” within the country’s political framework to daily challenges facing ordinary citizens, emphasizing concerns about increasing expenses that have become central to Democratic messaging for this year’s midterm elections.
“In America, we have an affordability crisis because we have a corruption crisis,” Talarico declared to the audience.
This represented a dramatic shift from the more optimistic, faith-based messaging of Talarico’s Democratic primary race. He is now embracing the same criticisms of Paxton that Republican Senate leadership worried would make the attorney general a less viable candidate than Sen. John Cornyn, whom Paxton defeated in Tuesday’s Republican runoff.
The varied Houston crowd carried signs displaying “Talarico,” featuring a new element. The reverse side showcased the campaign’s updated slogan: “THE PEOPLE vs. KEN PAXTON.”
Designed like legal proceedings targeting the state’s top law enforcement official, this theme debuted on the three-year anniversary of Paxton’s impeachment on charges that he misused his position to assist a wealthy political contributor.
Paxton received acquittals on all 20 impeachment charges, which has strengthened his confidence and energized his base. Many supporters have consistently maintained that both he and President Donald Trump, who backed him, have been subjected to political targeting.
However, the messaging appeared to connect with attendees at Talarico’s event.
Monique Green, a retired Houston elementary school educator, explained that the most significant aspect of “The People vs. Ken Paxton” sign she held while waiting to meet Talarico were the opening two words.
“It’s a declaration that it’s about us,” she explained. “We are the ones, all of us, what we can definitely do together. And he inspires us to act. He doesn’t just talk — he believes.”
Campaign officials reported that Talarico collected $600,000 in small online contributions within two hours of Paxton’s Republican runoff victory Tuesday, marking the most profitable two-hour period for his campaign since announcing his candidacy in September 2025.
Among the initial speakers at the gathering was Democratic state representative Ann Johnson, who jointly led Paxton’s impeachment proceedings with a Republican colleague.
Talarico stressed that the corruption-related impeachment was initiated by the Republican-controlled Texas legislature, Paxton’s own political party. Following his rally, he explained his focus on Paxton’s history because “he has escaped accountability for years.”
Paxton’s campaign did not respond immediately to requests for comment. However, after Talarico concluded his remarks, Paxton shared a link to his campaign donation website on social platform X with a personal criticism of his rival: “James Talarico and his big vegan allies have raised a fortune trying to stop the America First agenda. I need your help!” he posted.
This mirrored Paxton’s statement following his Tuesday runoff win, and Talarico had prepared a comeback for his Houston supporters: “I’ve been eating barbecue since before Ken Paxton’s first indictment,” he responded.
The dietary criticism represents Paxton’s effort to identify perceived vulnerabilities in Talarico’s campaign for potential exploitation. Using tactics similar to Trump, Paxton has also been experimenting with derogatory nicknames for his challenger.
These included “TalaFreako,” which Talarico converted into a campaign advantage Wednesday evening. He informed supporters they could visit his campaign website to purchase T-shirts featuring the new moniker.
During a CBS News interview before Wednesday’s rally, Talarico addressed questions about his views on gender, clarifying that he believes “God cannot be defined by human categories” and acknowledged “two sexes, men and women.”
“I also know there’s a very small percentage of people who have these chromosomal abnormalities, and I believe that they deserve to be treated with dignity and respect,” he stated.
