James Talarico, a Democrat and state representative from the Austin area, won the U.S. Senate race on Tuesday, defeating Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton. Election results showed Talarico with nearly 54% of the statewide vote to about 45% for Paxton.
In Galveston County, Paxton received 69,942 votes, or 51.98%, and Talarico received 62,049 votes, or 46.12%, according to unofficial returns from the Galveston County Elections Division. The county's 134,552 counted ballots in the Senate race gave Paxton a margin of 7,893 votes there. Talarico held a rally at the Galveston Railroad Museum on Oct. 22, which organizers said drew more than 1,200 people.
Talarico campaigned on economic issues, public education and bridging political divisions. Paxton emphasized conservative priorities, immigration enforcement and his record of challenging federal policies as attorney general. Voters interviewed in Galveston on Election Day expressed sharply different views about the candidates and the direction of the state and country.