Texas Senate race setting spending data forward of Tuesday’s major

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By JOHN HANNA, AP Political Author

Candidates and political teams are pouring cash into Texas’ hotly contested U.S. Senate race at a document tempo, partly fueled by Democrat James Talarico’s fundraising and allies of Republican Sen. John Cornyn attempting to save lots of his lengthy profession.

Heading into Tuesday’s major elections, the price of promoting and reserved promoting time had topped $110 million, probably the most ever for a Senate major, in accordance with the ad-tracking agency AdImpact. The heavy spending in Texas is a preview of the cash that’s anticipated to flood this yr’s midterm elections throughout the U.S. with management of Congress at stake.

Talarico faces U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett for the Democratic nomination and on Wednesday launched his last tv advert earlier than the first. It assaults the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement techniques, describing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement as “secret police.”

Talarico reported elevating greater than $21 million by way of final week. Crockett has raised almost $8.6 million, although the bulk was transferred from her Home marketing campaign account after she entered the race in December, three months after Talarico.

Supporters of major candidate for U.S. Senate Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, smiles at supporters throughout a marketing campaign occasion in Richardson, Texas, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. (AP Picture/LM Otero)

Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, speaks throughout a marketing campaign cease in Austin, Texas, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Picture/Eric Homosexual)

Texas Lawyer Normal Ken Paxton, a Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate, speaks to a supporter throughout a marketing campaign occasion, Monday, Feb. 16, 2026, in Tyler, Texas. (AP Picture/Julio Cortez)

U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt, R-Texas, speaks at a marketing campaign occasion, Monday, Feb. 16, 2026, in Dallas. (AP Picture/Julio Cortez)

Texas state Rep. James Talarico, D-Austin, a Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate, speaks to supporters throughout a marketing campaign cease, in Austin, Texas, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Picture/Eric Homosexual)

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Supporters of major candidate for U.S. Senate Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, smiles at supporters throughout a marketing campaign occasion in Richardson, Texas, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. (AP Picture/LM Otero)

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Crockett has positioned herself as the larger fighter, and the tone of Talarico’s final advert contrasts with appeals he’s made to disaffected Republicans by discussing his Christian religion.

“We will rework this damaged political system,” Talarico stated throughout a rally Tuesday in Tyler in northeastern Texas, an space President Donald Trump carried by a large margin in 2024.

Democrats haven’t received a Senate race in Texas since 1988, however Cornyn is going through the race of his profession within the major in opposition to Texas Lawyer Normal Ken Paxton and U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt.

The majority of the spending in Texas, greater than $75 million, has come from teams not tied to the candidates, in accordance with AdImpact.

The overwhelming majority of that’s on the Republican aspect, with the spending by teams serving to Cornyn’s bid for a fifth time period approaching $57 million to this point. The professional-Cornyn Texans for a Conservative Majority has dropped greater than $22 million on anti-Hunt advertisements.

Cornyn’s official marketing campaign committee has raised greater than $11 million and two different teams bearing his identify have spent one other $10 million serving to him.

Republicans count on Paxton to at the very least make a Could 26 runoff, regardless of a low-key marketing campaign till not too long ago and years of authorized issues.

Cornyn and the Senate’s GOP leaders fear that Republicans should spend tens of hundreds of thousands of extra {dollars} to maintain the Texas seat if Paxton is the nominee.

“It’s a robust chance we can’t maintain Texas if John Cornyn will not be our nominee,” GOP Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina stated Wednesday on “Fox & Associates.”