The Republican National Committee’s midterm convention landed in Dallas this week, but the biggest story wasn’t on the main stage. It was the suddenly competitive US Senate race between Republican Ken Paxton and Democrat James Talarico. Recent polling shows the race tightening in a state that has voted reliably red for a generation, and that has national observers paying close attention with the November midterms approaching.
President Trump made his preference clear, telling the convention crowd that Paxton must be elected and promising to return to Texas to campaign for him. Paxton used the spotlight to attack Talarico, calling him a Democratic Socialist who voted to tax income in Texas. Talarico skipped the convention entirely, holding a separate Dallas event centered on grocery costs, where he told supporters his campaign is building momentum. Florida Senator Rick Scott said Republicans are keeping their focus on energy, public safety, and balancing the federal budget.
So why does a Texas race matter here on the Suncoast? Because if a deep-red state is genuinely in play, it could signal a shift in national momentum, and control of the Senate may come down to races exactly like this one. The issues driving the conversation, taxes, energy, and the cost of everyday goods, are the same ones our neighbors here talk about every day.
What do you think: is Texas genuinely up for grabs, or does it stay red in November? Let us know in the comments.
