For the second time in just over a week, Ken Paxton and James Talarico held dueling rallies Tuesday evening in Lubbock, Texas, each drawing thousands but delivering starkly different messages about the stakes of their U.S. Senate race. At Mr. Paxton’s event, President Trump headlined for more than 90 minutes, calling the attorney general to the stage late in his address. “America belongs to those who love it,” Mr. Trump declared, framing the election as a test of national identity.
Across town, Mr. Talarico rallied supporters with a message of defiance. “We’re going to shock the nation when we beat the billionaires and take back Texas,” he said, appealing to independents and centrist Republicans in a reliably conservative area. Lubbock County favored President Trump by roughly 70 percent to 30 percent in 2024, but pockets of Democrats turned out in force.
The race has become one of the nation’s most expensive midterm campaigns, with both candidates crisscrossing Texas in final days. Last week they nearly clashed in Fort Worth; Tuesday they were separated only by a short drive in Lubbock, near a city park known for its prairie dogs. Mr. Paxton, the Republican state attorney general, leaned heavily on Trump’s endorsement to energize his base, while Mr. Talarico sought to expand his coalition.
Despite Trump’s repeated visits to Texas — four in the past two months — signs of Republican anxiety surfaced. “We’re getting beat bad by the leftists,” warned Don Huffines, the state’s hard-right comptroller. With just a week left before Election Day, the Lubbock showdown underscored the national implications of the contest.
Source: New York Times Top Stories · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing