Talarico Raises $30 Million in Q2, Outpacing Paxton

Democratic U.S. Senate nominee James Talarico announced a record-breaking fundraising haul of $30 million for the second quarter of 2026, dramatically outpacing his Republican opponent, Attorney General Ken Paxton, as the candidates remain locked in a tight race. The announcement on Wednesday, July 8, came amid a personal controversy for Paxton, who was seen vacationing in London over the Fourth of July holiday weekend.

Talarico’s campaign said the sum, raised from April through June, is a record for a U.S. Senate candidate in a second quarter. Since launching his bid in September, the state representative has raised more than $70 million from over 1.5 million donations, with 97 percent of contributions being $100 or less. His campaign said the most common profession among his donors is teachers. In a statement, Talarico said he is honored to stand with supporters who want to unite Texans and change a broken political system to bring down costs for working families.

Paxton’s campaign earlier on Wednesday reported raising over $9 million in the same quarter, which it described as a personal best and the largest amount announced by any non-incumbent Senate Republican candidate...