By Tripp Henderson | Staff Writer
Democrat James Talarico defeated Republican Ken Paxton in the U.S. Senate race in Texas, becoming the first Democratic Senator from the state in 30 years.
Talarico’s victory flipped a Senate seat for Democrats, adding to a host of blue victories across the country Tuesday, including Democrat Gina Hinojosa’s upset win over Republican Greg Abbott in the gubernatorial race. Democrats now hold the majority in the House and Senate, giving them full control of Congress.
On Tuesday night, Talarico delivered a speech at his watch party in Austin to celebrate the victory.
“We just took back Texas,” Talarico said. “We just proved that all the money in the world is no match for the people of Texas; we just proved that a politics of division is no match for a politics of love.”
Talarico looked to the future and called Texans to action.
“As this movement heads to the seat of power, as we head to the U.S. Senate, we know that this moment requires of us,” Talarico said. “Texas, it’s time to start flipping tables.”
Houston senior Hanna Al-Hayek, president of Baylor College Democrats, said Talarico brings a new kind of energy to politics and does a good job bridging the gap between parties.
“I’m very excited about the changes that he’ll be able to work towards, but I will say, the work doesn’t end here,” Al-Hayek said. “We still need to make sure that we are also energized and engaged because it doesn’t end with voting.”
Talarico, a 37-year-old Texas state legislator, based his campaign on making everyday life more affordable, expanding healthcare, getting big money out of politics and fighting corruption.
In September, Talarico stopped at Baylor to address a crowd of more than 1,000 Baylor students, faculty and staff.
“I think all the issues that young Texans face are the issues that are being ignored by our U.S. Senate, whether it’s housing, whether it’s jobs, whether it’s higher education or debt,” Talarico told The Lariat. “These are all the things that really impact young people in particular.”
Talarico also highlighted the role young voters play in the election.
“We are winning young voters across the state of Texas by an overwhelming margin, so I’m confident we’re going to win here at Baylor, at colleges and universities across the state on Nov. 3rd,” Talarico said.
Similarly, Al-Hayek said that young voters are “fed up” and they were motivated to show up to vote in the midterms.
The Texas Senate race was the most expensive in history, with total spending on campaign advertisements exceeding $570 million. Talarico outpaced Paxton in direct campaign fundraising, bringing in roughly $155 million to Paxton’s $40 million.
In a post-election speech broadcast by FOX26, Paxton acknowledged his defeat.
“We have had a difficult night across the country, but it’s not over,” Paxton said.
