Republican Ken Paxton and Democrat James Talarico have made several campaign stops in East Texas ahead of the U.S. Senate election. Vice President JD Vance flew into Tyler Pounds Regional Airport to campaign for Paxton. Talarico said during one visit, "We have an affordability crisis because we have a corruption crisis." Vance said of Paxton, "He fights for you. Let's fight for him."
Political analysts said the stops are aimed at motivating voters in a historically conservative region. Dr. John Barrett, a political science professor at LeTourneau University, said Republicans appear to be working to increase their vote totals in East Texas to offset possible losses elsewhere. Dr. Matthew Wilson, a political science professor at Southern Methodist University, said control of the U.S. Senate could depend on the Texas outcome. He said Democrats have their best chance in decades to win a statewide race in Texas, adding that they have not won statewide since the 1990s.
The race has set midterm spending records. Libertarian candidate Ted Brown has faced criticism from both major parties, which accuse him of acting as a spoiler. Brown said, "You can't really spoil something that's so rotten and putrid to begin with." Observers are also watching ballot drop-off, when voters cast ballots in other races but leave the Senate race blank. Paxton will watch results at an event in Dallas on Tuesday night, and Talarico will host a watch party in Austin.