Recent polls show Democrat James Talarico 5 points ahead of his Republican opponent, Ken Paxton. While the numbers seem promising for the Texas Democratic candidate, many voters still feel skeptical that this will translate into a major victory in the U.S. Senate race.
According to the Texas Tribune, Talarico is leading with 45% of the vote to Paxton’s 40% in the Senate race, posting strong margins among voters identified as moderates (+34) and independents (+20). Black and Latino voters strongly favor Talarico. Fourteen percent of voters are still undecided.
The numbers seem to indicate a considerable edge over the competition, as Texans appear to believe that Talarico would be more trustworthy on affordability issues, which are top of mind for local voters. Paxton is also viewed unfavorably by many, with a 33% favorable rating and a 46% unfavorable rating.
Texas Reacts to Talarico vs Paxton on Polls
While polls continue to show Talarico performing well in the Senate race, skepticism still dominates among some Texas voters. On Reddit’s r/Texas, one user warned others: “Polls don’t mean anything. Go VOTE!!!”
Many people expressed doubts about a victory: “I hope Talarico wins, but I won’t keep my hopes up….cause you know Texas.” The reason for that, according to some, is the history of the Texas electorate: “I’m not convinced Texans are that rational. My family in central Texas remains avowed Trumpists.” Others even believed that if the Democrats lost again, there would be no hope: “If Paxton wins, I think it may be time to move.”
However, some folks seemed excited for this year’s election: “I will say, Talarico is the first Democratic candidate in recent memory to be winning in several polls. Beto, who was the closest anyone had gotten prior to this, was within the margin of error (but behind) or tied with Ted Cruz.”
According to someone else: “I smell their fear in the air. Republicans will respond to this with Ads of Talarico eating vegan hotdogs or some lame ass shit they think will gain low IQ votes.”
It remains to be seen who will win the election, but the competition between the candidates is expected to continue heating up until the November election.
