James Talarico wins Texas Senate race for Democrats

Democrat James Talarico won Texas’s U.S. Senate race, defeating Republican Ken Paxton and ending a decades-long Republican hold on the seat, according to reports of the result. The reported victory makes Talarico the first Democrat to win a Texas Senate seat since 1988. No vote totals or election-authority certification were included in the reports reviewed. Talarico, a state legislator and former schoolteacher, campaigned on the rising cost of living and pledged to address political corruption, expand health care access and increase education investment. He also called for an end to military engagements he characterized as wasteful and corrupt. Those positions and commitments were part of his campaign; the reports did not describe legislative action taken after the win. In victory remarks, Talarico portrayed the result as a grassroots win over entrenched interests, saying, “We defeated Goliath.” He also said the campaign had overcome the influence of money in politics. The remarks echoed biblical themes he had used during the campaign, according to the reporting. Paxton sought to portray Talarico’s views as too progressive for Texas and campaigned alongside President Donald...