Talarico holds solo CNN town hall in Fort Worth as Paxton skips and Texas Senate race stays tight

Democratic state representative James Talarico appeared alone Wednesday night at a CNN-Jubilee town hall in Fort Worth. Republican nominee Ken Paxton, the attorney general, did not accept invitations. Talarico fielded questions from a mixed audience of Democrats, independents and Republicans on the economy, abortion, energy and immigration. He pitched himself as a moderate who would challenge both parties and protect oil-and-gas jobs while expanding renewables. Recent polls show the race essentially even or with Talarico narrowly ahead in a state that has not elected a Democrat to the Senate in more than 30 years. A Democratic win would be the first since Lloyd Bentsen and could help decide control of the chamber. Early voting begins Monday.

https://www.texastribune.org/2026/10/14/texas-senate-james-talarico-ken-paxton-cnn-town-hall/