Democratic Texas Senate candidate James Talarico held campaign events in North Texas on Monday rather than attending a rally in El Paso featuring Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and other Democratic officials. The separate appearances came as the contest between Talarico and Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton moved into its final weeks before the Nov. 3, 2026, midterm elections.
Sanders appeared at the Abraham Chavez Theatre in El Paso with former U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke and Democratic U.S. Reps. Greg Casar and Veronica Escobar. Early voting had begun ahead of the election. Talarico, meanwhile, held a rally at North Crowley High School in Fort Worth as part of his “Clear Eyes, Full Hearts” campaign tour, after an earlier stop in Denton.
The El Paso rally included support for Talarico’s Senate campaign. O’Rourke told attendees that opponents had spent $368 million “just against one man,” referring to Talarico, and characterized that spending as evidence of concern about his candidacy. Casar also backed Talarico, saying his election would help Democrats pursue their legislative priorities.
Sanders did not name Talarico in his remarks, according to the source report. He instead criticized the influence of wealthy donors in U.S. elections, saying that billionaires were putting hundreds of millions of dollars into campaigns. He urged supporters to vote early and presented the midterms as a contest over the political influence of wealthy Americans.
Talarico addressed campaign spending and wealthy donors at his Fort Worth event as well. He criticized Paxton and billionaire Elon Musk in discussing donor influence in the Texas Senate contest. Talarico told supporters that an “affordability crisis” stemmed from what he called a “corruption crisis.” He also argued that the election should reach beyond the usual Democratic-versus-Republican divide.
Fox News Digital said it contacted Talarico’s campaign to ask why he held a separate event rather than campaigning alongside the Democrats in El Paso. The supplied report did not include a response from the campaign.
Talarico and Paxton are seeking the Senate seat being vacated by Republican Sen. John Cornyn. The contest has attracted national attention because Democrats have not won a Texas U.S. Senate race since 1988. The source report also noted that The Associated Press contributed to its coverage.
