By Joana Karoshi | Staff Writer
Rain fell over Waco Saturday morning as Republican U.S. Senate candidate Ken Paxton and his supporters gathered for a campaign event downtown at The Palladium.
Paxton, Texas’ attorney general, has focused on law enforcement, economic policy and conservative priorities in his campaign against his opponent, Democratic state Rep. James Talarico. The two are on the Senate ballot for the Nov. 3 election.
While speaking to supporters, Paxton emphasized his connection to Waco and Baylor before turning to his campaign platform.
“I’ve been traveling all across Texas,” Paxton said. “I’ve met ranchers, small business owners, law enforcement officers, lots of parents, faith leaders and hardworking Texans from every corner of the state.”
Paxton said his conversations with Texans have centered around rising costs.
“Nobody in Washington seems to have noticed or cared,” he said. “Gas, rent, insurance, electric bill — everything’s up except your paycheck.”
Paxton also said his campaign would focus on making it easier for Texans to afford medical care, housing and raising families.
“I’m going to fight for every Texan to buy a home, raise a family and live a healthy life without struggling,” Paxton said.
Paxton outlined several proposed tax deductions, including a $25,000 deduction for out-of-pocket medical expenses and a $25,000 deduction related to children’s emergency room expenses. He also proposed a $50,000 deduction on down payments and a health-related deduction that would include gym memberships, nutrition plans and an expanded child tax credit.
“Preserving the American way means more than talking about this,” Paxton said. “We have to make it possible for the next generation to actually live it.”
Paxton also promoted policies that would lower housing and energy costs by reducing housing regulations and supporting domestic energy production.
Paxton then turned the attention of his speech toward his opponent, referring to Talarico as a “democratic socialist” and criticizing him over taxes, energy, immigration, abortion, transgender issues and Chinese investment in Texas.
“This race is about defending Texas,” Paxton said.
Paxton also emphasized his record as Texas’ attorney general, including his legal battles with the federal government and technology companies.
“I’m running on my record, not just rhetoric,” Paxton said.
Paxton cited lawsuits involving technology companies and social media in his speech, saying his office had pursued companies over policies he argued harmed children.
He framed the election as a larger fight with “so much at stake” for the direction of Texas and the country.
For Baylor students attending the event, economic concerns were among the issues they said mattered most.
Rockwall junior Grace Boyle, a member of Bears for Paxton, said students should research both candidates before deciding how to vote.
“Baylor students should absolutely be doing their political homework,” Boyle said.
Boyle encouraged young voters to examine where the candidates’ values and policies align, particularly on issues such as grocery prices, housing and student debt.
Not everyone outside the event supported Paxton.
Mark Hays, a Waco native, Woodway resident and 1983 Baylor graduate, stood outside the event holding a sign that read, “Paxton Protects Pedos.” Hays said he opposed Paxton’s candidacy, pointing to the Adam Hoffman case and what he described as disparities in how defendants were treated in McLennan County.
“We really don’t think Paxton is the right person to be our senator,” Hays said.
Hays said he believed the outcome of Hoffman’s case reflected unequal treatment because Hoffman was a socially prominent attorney.
Hays also criticized what he characterized as corruption by Paxton and said he opposed the attorney general’s use of taxpayer money on lawsuits he considers frivolous.
The Hoffman case has become a campaign issue in the national Senate race. Hoffman, a Waco attorney, was charged with continuous sexual abuse of a child. After a 2025 trial ended with a hung jury and the victim declined to testify at a second trial, prosecutors in Paxton’s office reached a plea agreement with Hoffman.
PolitiFact reported in June that Hoffman ultimately admitted guilt to the lesser charge of indecent assault and served 29 days in jail.
Houston senior Hanna Al-Hayek, president of College Democrats of Baylor, said Paxton’s speech did not sufficiently address affordability for young voters.
“He talked a lot about conservative values,” Al-Hayek said. “But when you talk about affordability, he didn’t really say what he was doing to bring that affordability down.”
Al-Hayek said students should listen closely to both candidates and evaluate their proposals independently.
Paxton’s Waco event came just weeks after Talarico held a campaign rally in the Mark & Paula Hurd Welcome Center that had 1,100 reserved attendees, according to Talarico’s campaign.
Jason Cook, Baylor’s vice president for marketing and communications and chief marketing officer, said Baylor previously offered both campaigns opportunities to hold events on campus, with Paxton’s campaign not being able to accommodate the university’s available dates.
As the Senate race nears the Nov. 3 election, Baylor students have a choice between two candidates who have run on different priorities. While Paxton has centered his campaign on conservative policies, border security, law enforcement and reducing costs, Talarico has emphasized affordability, political corruption and reducing the influence of wealthy donors.
