Why some Democrats are embracing faith on the trail
United Methodist Pastor Adam Hamilton is coming out from behind the pulpit for the chance to bring his liberal Democratic values to Washington.
President Donald Trump will be in Texas on Thursday for a Republican fundraiser in Houston to boost the party’s coffers, according to media reports, as their candidate for U.S. Senate faces an increasingly close race against a lesser-known Democrat.
The trip to Houston will come just two days after Trump’s endorsement carried Sen. Darline Graham of South Carolina over the finish line in a special primary, fending off increasing scrutiny of her foreign policy knowledge and reasserting his influence over Republican voters.
Donors must pay $10,000 to attend the reception and more than $88,000 if they want a photo opportunity, according to a copy of the event invitation obtained by a New York Times reporter. The Republican National Committee has not publicly announced the event. Neither has the White House.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican, is facing Democratic state Sen. James Talarico of Austin, whose message combining Christian faith with grass-roots populism is resonating with more and more voters despite Texas’ heavy Republican tilt.
Various polls have put Talarico either ahead of Paxton or in a statistical tie. Talarico is outraising Paxton by a 7-to-1 ratio, according to filings with the Federal Election Commission. Talarico’s campaign ended June with $21.5 million in cash to Paxton’s $1.8 million.
However, the Republican National Committee ended July with $130.4 million, and a Supreme Court decision from June will allow the party to spend an unlimited amount of money in the race if it chooses. Trump also has a super PAC that’s sitting on $403.5 million and likewise has no limits on what it can spend.
With the help of Trump’s endorsement, Paxton defeated incumbent Sen. John Cornyn in the Republican primary in May, but his path to victory is by no means certain.
Forty-seven percent of Texans disapprove of the job Paxton is doing as attorney general, according to an August poll by the Texas Politics Project. Only 33% of those polled said they approved of his performance.
Paxton won the attorney general seat in 2014 and was reelected in 2018 and 2022. He was indicted in 2015 for securities fraud, a case he eventually settled. In 2023, a bipartisan group of lawmakers voted to impeach him for abuse of his office, but the state Senate acquitted him.