Texas Senate Candidates Ken Paxton and James Talarico Spar Over Debate Terms as Election Nears
With just 13 days remaining until Election Day, the high-stakes U.S. Senate race in Texas took an unexpected turn into entertainment media when Republican nominee Ken Paxton and Democratic challenger James Talarico discussed potential debate conditions on the campaign trail.
Paxton, who has repeatedly rebuffed calls to face his Democratic rival directly, indicated to reporters that he would be open to a debate under specific conditions. Rejecting the prospect of a mainstream news moderator, Paxton expressed specific reservations about network coverage.
“Look, if the terms were right, I’d have no problem,” Paxton said. Explaining his hesitation regarding the format, he added, “So in terms of debating, I don’t want to end up with a CNN reporter covering the debate. So, you know, I don’t know what all the terms are, but I do know I don’t want a CNN reporter covering our debate, which initially was talked about.”
Earlier in the campaign cycle, President Donald Trump had described the Republican nominee as ready, willing, and able to debate. Paxton maintained that this characterization remains accurate.
Talarico quickly seized on the remarks, having previously challenged his opponent to a debate at any time or location, including an offer to appear on . Responding to Paxton’s latest comments, the Democratic candidate suggested an unconventional venue for the showdown.
“Well, I mean, Ken Paxton has refused to debate, and that’s pretty low-T behavior in my book,” Talarico said. Proposing an alternative, he added, “I actually challenged him to do it on on his home turf in his safe space. But maybe, this is now just occurring to me, TMZ should host this debate. You seem to get a hold of Ken Paxton easier than most journalists do.”
The exchange comes as early voting proceeds across the Lone Star State, with preliminary figures indicating record-breaking first-day turnout for a midterm election across several North Texas counties, including Dallas, Tarrant, Collin, and Denton.
Both candidates are actively campaigning across Texas in a closely watched contest that could play a decisive role in determining control of the United States Senate. Polling aggregates show Talarico holding a narrow two-point lead in the RealClearPolitics average, presenting a challenge that could result in Republicans suffering their first statewide defeat in Texas in decades. Independent election analysts at The Cook Political Report currently rate the contest as a toss-up.
Asked by reporters how he would react to a potential defeat, Paxton expressed confidence in his campaign’s efforts while emphasizing reliance on the electorate.
“No, look, I know that I’ve worked hard, and I know that we have done everything that we possibly could to make sure that we win the race,” Paxton said. “I truly believe we’re going to win this race, but in the end, it’s the voters that decide. And I trust them. I trust that they will make a good decision. I believe in them, and so you know what? We just see what happens on election day.”
