BREAKING: Ken Paxton Gets HUGE Endorsement Ahead of Midterms as Talarico Struggles!
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has thrown its support behind Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in the state’s critical 2026 Senate race, delivering a major endorsement as Democrat James Talarico attempts to flip a traditionally Republican seat amid growing political uncertainty.
The endorsement highlights the stark contrast between Paxton’s pro-business agenda and the political challenge facing Talarico, who is attempting to capitalize on dissatisfaction with Republicans to win a seat Democrats desperately want.
BUSINESS GROUP BACKS PAXTON OVER DEMOCRAT TALARICO
The Chamber praised Paxton’s record on free enterprise, low taxes, and protecting the energy industry, arguing that his policies provide a stronger foundation for economic growth.
“The choice is clear in Texas. Attorney General Ken Paxton has been a defender of free enterprise and the pro-growth policies that empower American businesses to thrive,” said Neil Bradley, the Chamber’s executive vice president and chief policy officer.
Bradley also praised Paxton for pushing back against federal overreach and supporting legal reforms intended to protect businesses from excessive litigation and regulatory burdens.
The endorsement provides Paxton with backing from a prominent business organization as he works to hold the Republican seat against Talarico’s Democratic challenge.
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TALARICO FACES A TOUGH FIGHT IN REPUBLICAN TEXAS
Despite Texas’s Republican lean, Talarico has emerged as a serious challenger, with political forecasters moving the race into toss-up territory.
Leftist Cook Political Report shifted the contest to a toss-up in August, while Radical Leftwing Decision Desk HQ gave Talarico a 54 percent probability of flipping the seat, narrowly favoring Democrats.
Those projections underscore the threat Republicans face in a race that could influence control of the Senate. However, the Chamber’s endorsement gives Paxton another prominent organization backing his economic platform.
Talarico has attempted to weaken Paxton by focusing on the attorney general’s controversial record, including his 2023 impeachment by the Texas House. Paxton was subsequently acquitted by the Texas Senate.
The race now presents Talarico with a difficult challenge: convincing Texas voters to elect a Democrat in a state that has consistently favored Republicans in statewide elections.
CHAMBER’S BREAK WITH TRUMP OVER TARIFFS ADDS ANOTHER TWIST
The endorsement comes after the Chamber clashed with President Donald Trump over his tariff policies, challenging the administration’s use of emergency powers to impose tariffs.
The Supreme Court later ruled against the administration’s expanded use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose tariffs.
Following the ruling, Bradley urged the administration to reconsider its tariff policy, arguing that a reset could promote economic growth, increase wage gains, and reduce costs for families.
The dispute demonstrates that the Chamber’s positions do not always align with Trump or Republicans on every economic issue. Nevertheless, the organization has chosen to endorse Paxton in the Texas Senate contest.
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TEXAS SENATE RACE COULD DETERMINE SENATE CONTROL
With the November midterms approaching, Paxton and Talarico face an increasingly competitive contest that could help determine the balance of power in Washington.
The Chamber’s endorsement puts a spotlight on Paxton’s economic message as Talarico attempts to turn the race into a Democratic victory.
For Republicans, holding Texas would be crucial to their Senate strategy. For Talarico, flipping the seat would represent a major political breakthrough in a state where Democrats have struggled to win statewide elections.
The question now is whether Talarico can overcome Texas’s Republican lean and mounting scrutiny of his campaign to pull off a victory in one of the country’s most consequential Senate races.
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