Republican PAC Invests $131 Million in Ken Paxton’s Texas Senate Campaign

A Republican political action committee has poured $131 million into supporting Ken Paxton’s bid for the Texas Senate over a span of 17 days. This amounts to approximately $7.7 million spent daily, as revealed by official documents reviewed by Newsweek.

The substantial investment occurs as Paxton trails Democratic opponent James Talarico in various polls, with the midterm election set for November 3rd approaching quickly. Talarico, a former seminary student and middle school teacher, aims to be the first Democrat in decades to secure a Texas Senate seat. A win for him would significantly bolster the Democratic Party’s efforts to gain control of the Senate.

Why It Matters

Texas has historically been vital to maintaining the Republican Senate majority. Paxton’s current vulnerability has spurred outside groups to allocate considerable financial resources to his campaign. The PAC’s large contribution underscores the critical nature of the contest, posing a risk to the Republicans’ hold on the seat and potentially impacting their broader Senate majority.

What To Know

Polymarket traders currently assess Talarico’s chances of winning at 63 percent, compared to Paxton’s 38 percent. The traded amount exceeds $1.6 million. Meanwhile, Kalshi traders assign Talarico a 62 percent chance to defeat Paxton, against a 42 percent likelihood for Paxton.

These figures reflect traders’ predictions based on market activity and should be interpreted accordingly. They fluctuate rapidly in response to polling data, campaign activities, and individual transactions, hence they are not definitive election forecasts.

This article is part of an ongoing coverage. Further updates will be provided as new information becomes available.

For more context, Newsweek’s team utilized Martyn, our AI assistant, in crafting this report. Details about Martyn’s role can be found here.