Spending on advertising in Texas Senate race exceeds $500 million — CBC

In Texas, spending on political advertising in the campaign for a seat in the US Senate has exceeded $500 million. According to AdImpact, the contest between Republican Ken Paxton and Democrat James Talarico could become the most expensive non-presidential election campaign in US history, CBC reports.

The vote is scheduled for November 3. Its outcome could affect which party will hold a majority in the Senate through the end of Donald Trump’s presidential term. Democrats have not been elected to the US Senate from Texas since 1988, but polling averages, according to CBC’s assessment, allow for a Talarico victory.

Funding for Paxton’s campaign

Two political committees of Elon Musk directed more than $210 million to support Paxton’s campaign, according to financial disclosure data. Advertising funded by Musk includes claims about Talarico’s position on surgical gender transition for children. The Democrat dismissed these accusations as lies and said that Musk is trying to “buy” the Senate seat.

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Paxton, Texas attorney general since 2015, is building his campaign on promises of low taxes, fighting illegal immigration, and support for Trump’s agenda. Talarico, a former teacher and Presbyterian seminarian, has been a member of the state legislature since 2019. He opposes cuts to healthcare funding, supports term limits for members of Congress, and advocates shifting the tax burden from the middle class to corporations and wealthy Americans.

Early voting

During the first week of early voting, the number of voters who had previously participated in Democratic Party primaries slightly exceeded the number of those who voted in Republican Party primaries. A Republican political consultant called the situation unprecedented.

Paxton’s campaign is also taking place against the backdrop of legal cases. A grand jury previously indicted him on securities fraud charges, which were later dropped after he reached an agreement. The Texas House of Representatives impeached Paxton over allegations that he abused his office to benefit a political donor, but the state Senate did not find him guilty.