Full Breakdown
Ken Paxton’s Senate Bid Takes Center Stage at the GOP Midterm Convention in Dallas
9/11/2026, 7:59:47 AM
Core Event: Paxton’s Speech and Trump’s Endorsement
On the first night of the Republican Party’s inaugural midterm convention in Dallas, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton delivered a six-minute address to a partially filled American Airlines Center. He praised President Donald Trump, attacked Democratic challenger James Talarico, and outlined his “Protecting the Texas Promise” tax-deduction plan. Later that evening, Trump took the stage, reiterated his endorsement of Paxton, and promised to return to Texas “twice or three times” to campaign for the Senate candidate.
Background & Context
The convention was staged in Texas to showcase races that Republicans fear could flip in the 2026 midterms. Party officials selected Dallas for its convention-ready infrastructure and because the state’s Senate seat—currently held by retiring Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX)—has become unusually competitive. GOP strategists view the Texas race as a bellwether for a potential Democratic surge that could breach the state’s historic “red wall.”
Data & Statistics
- Recent University of Texas/Texas Politics Project poll: Talarico at 42 %, Paxton at 39 %.
- N+ Univision poll (September): Talarico leads 48 % to Paxton’s 43 %, with 7 % undecided.
- Emerson College/Nexstar poll (mid-summer): A dead-heat, Paxton 47 %, Talarico 46 %.
These figures show a consistently narrow lead for the Democrat, though margins vary by poll.
Official Statements & Responses
- Paxton framed his campaign as a defense of “the common-sense revolution,” warning that a loss would jeopardize that agenda.
- He pledged repeated visits to Texas to boost his vote total.
- Ray Washburne, co-chair of the host committee, said the convention would generate “wall-to-wall ads from Ken Paxton” through election day.
Criticism & Opposition
- Bloomberg reported that Paxton’s candidacy remains shadowed by past scandals, including an impeachment by the Texas House on bribery and misuse-of-power charges, an acquittal by the state Senate, and ongoing allegations of personal misconduct.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Poll results differ on the size of Talarico’s lead, ranging from a near tie to a several-point advantage. No source provides a definitive projection of how the “Trump dividend” $5,000 payment would be funded or legislated, leaving the proposal’s feasibility unclear. While Trump pledged multiple future visits to Texas, the exact dates of those trips are not specified.
Verbatim Quotes
- “The press, the courts, and the establishment all tried to take President Trump down, but he’s won every single time,” — Ken Paxton
- “I’ll be coming back to Texas, because we have to elect Ken Paxton,” — President Trump
- “If we lose Texas, we lose the common sense revolution,” — Ken Paxton
