Talarico leads Paxton by 5 points in new poll of Texas’ U.S. Senate race

The poll found the Austin Democrat with a surprising edge Published July 29, 2026 6:00AM (EDT) Democratic U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico speaks during a press conference at the Hyatt Centric Congress Avenue on July 22, 2026 in Austin, Texas. The discussion comes as data centers have emerged as a major political issue in Texas, with Gov. Greg Abbott calling for stronger oversight of their expansion. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images) This article originally appeared on The Texas Tribune. The latest survey of the U.S. Senate race from Texas Public Opinion Research shows Democrat James Talarico leading Republican Ken Paxton, 45% to 40%, marking the Austin state representative’s largest lead in any public poll taken during the general election period. Since Paxton locked up the GOP nom