Beyond the 806
Trump-aligned super PAC to spend $10 million in Texas Senate race - NBC News
MAGA Inc., the super PAC aligned with Donald Trump, plans to spend $10 million on TV and digital ads targeting Democratic Texas Senate nominee James Talarico, according to a Federal Election Commission filing made Saturday. Talarico, a state representative, won the Democratic nomination and now faces state Attorney General Ken Paxton, who defeated sitting GOP Sen.
Talarico, a state representative, won the Democratic nomination and now faces state Attorney General Ken Paxton, who defeated sitting GOP Sen. John Cornyn in the Republican primary after Trump endorsed him. That primary result made this one of the more unusual Senate races in recent Texas history, with a sitting senator ousted by his own party's base before the general election even started.
For folks in Lubbock, this race hits close to home. West Texas sends a reliably Republican delegation to Austin and Washington, and a Senate seat that once seemed safe for the GOP establishment is now a test of how far Trump's political pull actually extends down the ballot in a midterm cycle. Panhandle and South Plains television markets will likely see heavy saturation before Election Day.
Republicans pressing Trump's operation to engage here signals they see the race as genuinely competitive, or at least worth defending, despite Texas trending red in statewide races for decades.
Paxton beat a sitting U.S. Senator in a primary, and now it takes a $10 million outside spend to hold the seat.
Common questions
Why is the Texas Senate race such a big deal this year?
- A sitting U.S. senator, John Cornyn, was defeated in his own Republican primary after Donald Trump endorsed Attorney General Ken Paxton against him. That rarely happens, and it sets up an unusual general election between Paxton and Democratic nominee James Talarico.
How much is Trump's super PAC spending on the Texas Senate race?
- MAGA Inc. plans to spend $10 million on TV and digital ads targeting James Talarico, according to a Federal Election Commission filing. That level of outside spending signals how seriously Trump allies are treating this race despite Texas leaning heavily Republican.
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