Texas Senate
John Cornyn (R) lost the primary. 3 candidates are on the ballot on November 3, 2026. The Cook Political Report rates it a toss-up.
Ken Paxton
Republican · Texas attorney general since 2015, former state legislator
7/10With liberty on 7 of 10 measuresNot a letter grade. Paxton has cast no vote in Congress since 2021, so this comes from what Paxton has said and done, on the 10 measures where the record settles which side Paxton is on.
James Talarico
Democrat · Texas state representative, former public school teacher
3/8With liberty on 3 of 8 measuresNot a letter grade. Talarico has cast no vote in Congress since 2021, so this comes from what Talarico has said and done, on the 8 measures where the record settles which side Talarico is on.
Follow this race? A statement, an interview or a vote in a state house we missed goes on this page once we have checked it.
Send a sourceSide by side
A letter is a grade from recorded votes. A tick or a cross is for a candidate with no votes: it comes from what that candidate has said and done, and every source is listed below.
Ken Paxton, on the record
Paxton has no votes in Congress since 2021, so there is no letter grade. This is what Paxton has said and done on our measures. Each line has its source, and each is marked with the same test we use for votes.
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Days after the United States began strikes on Iran, told Fox News that the president did the right thing.
“But the reality is, when you've got a country that's trying to build nuclear weapons, that is willing to use them, and that has demonstrated terrorist activity for decades, 40 or 50 years, you’ve got to deal with that, or eventually it comes to you”
- By the test we use for votes
- With liberty
The measure is maximum pressure on the regime in Tehran. We count a vote to stop American action against it as against liberty; he backed the action.
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Told Bloomberg in September 2026 that he would have preferred the strikes on Iran to come after the midterm elections, and that the president had no choice if Iran was close to a nuclear weapon.
“But the reality is, it sounds like he didn’t have a choice if he wanted to protect the country from an Iran with nuclear weapons”
- By the test we use for votes
- With liberty
He would have timed it differently, and he still backs the action against the regime. The measure is no limits on America's power to act against it.
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Told Fox News that the president is encouraging the people of Iran to take their country back, and that the United States would not move in to help them do it.
“We're just taking out the bad guys, and then it's up to them to build their country in a way that they see fit.”
- By the test we use for votes
- Not clear either way
He wants Iranians to take their country back, and he names no step to support them, such as human rights sanctions or an open internet. That does not settle it, so it counts for nothing.
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As attorney general, joined other states in a 2025 letter asking the Justice Department and the FBI to keep working with them against antisemitic terrorism, and said he stands with Israel.
“I am proud to stand with Israel and will always do everything within my power to partner with federal law enforcement to root out domestic terrorism and antisemitism.”
- By the test we use for votes
- With liberty
The measure is treating Israel as an ally. This says he does; it is a statement, not a vote on aid or weapons.
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Criticized Senator John Cornyn in 2025 for backing American aid to Ukraine.
“I’m going to start calling him ‘Senator Ukraine,’ because he’s funding Ukraine more than he’s funding our border, and that’s a problem in Texas”
- By the test we use for votes
- Against liberty
We count a vote for aid to Ukraine as with liberty. He holds that support against the senator who gave it.
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His campaign site sets his foreign policy against politicians who send billions to foreign countries and protect the borders of other nations.
“While many Washington career politicians are concerned with sending billions to foreign countries and protecting the borders of other nations, Ken Paxton’s top priority will always be the American people.”
- By the test we use for votes
- Not clear either way
The page names neither Ukraine nor Taiwan and does not say what he would vote for. It settles nothing, so it counts for nothing.
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As attorney general, sued Harris County in 2025 for giving more than $1.3 million in public money to groups that defend people in deportation cases.
“Millions upon millions of illegals invaded America during the last administration, and they must be sent back to where they came from.”
- By the test we use for votes
- With liberty
The measure is enforcing immigration law and deporting those who break it.
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As attorney general, led 16 states in a 2018 Supreme Court brief defending President Trump's travel ban, which restricted entry from eight countries.
“The travel ban is constitutional and vital to upgrading both vetting and national security procedures that will help protect the nation from terrorism.”
- By the test we use for votes
- With liberty
We count a vote to keep the president's power to restrict entry from high-risk Islamic countries as with liberty.
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As attorney general, joined other states in a 2026 court brief backing survivors of the October 7 attack who are suing two American groups they accuse of supporting Hamas.
“Radical Islamic terrorist groups like Hamas must be decimated and dismantled, and that includes their domestic supporting branches”
- By the test we use for votes
- With liberty
The measure is acting against supporters of Hamas.
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As attorney general, sued the Muslim Brotherhood and the Council on American-Islamic Relations in 2026 to stop them from operating in Texas.
“Sharia law and the jihadists who follow sharia law have no business being in Texas”
- By the test we use for votes
- With liberty
We count signing the bill to name the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization as with liberty.
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As attorney general, urged every Texas public school in 2025 to set aside time for voluntary prayer and scripture reading under a new state law, and recommended that students begin with the Lord's Prayer.
“In Texas classrooms, we want the Word of God opened, the Ten Commandments displayed, and prayers lifted up”
- By the test we use for votes
- Against liberty
The measure is no religion in government and the same freedom for believers and non-believers. A state official recommending one faith's prayer for public schools is the other side of that.
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Said in September 2026 that the federal gas tax should be ended for good.
“Repealing those taxes would put money straight back into drivers' pockets every time they fill up, and Washington should fund roads by cutting waste, not by taxing Texans at the pump.”
- By the test we use for votes
- With liberty
The measure is lower taxes and less spending.
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His campaign site says he will take on drug and food companies in the Senate.
“In the Senate, he will work alongside President Trump to Make America Healthy Again by taking on Big Pharma and Big Food, increasing transparency in our food and healthcare systems”
- By the test we use for votes
- Not clear either way
Taking on an industry can mean new rules or more competition, and the page does not say which. It settles nothing, so it counts for nothing.
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As attorney general, sued the State Department in 2023 together with two news outlets, saying it paid for tools used to cut the reach of American media it disfavored.
“This agency will not get away with their illegal campaign to silence citizens and publications they disagree with.”
- By the test we use for votes
- With liberty
We count a vote against government pressure on platforms to censor lawful speech as with liberty.
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As attorney general, opened an investigation of the group Media Matters after it published an article critical of the social media site X. In May 2025 a federal appeals court kept the investigation blocked, finding the group had a valid claim that it was retaliation for the article.
- By the test we use for votes
- Against liberty
The measure is no censorship by government. A court found a government investigation was aimed at a publisher for what it wrote.
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As attorney general, sued the NCAA in 2024 to stop it from letting male athletes compete in women's events in Texas.
“Radical ‘gender theory’ has no place in college sports.”
- By the test we use for votes
- With liberty
We count a vote for the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act as with liberty.
James Talarico, on the record
Talarico has no votes in Congress since 2021, so there is no letter grade. This is what Talarico has said and done on our measures. Each line has its source, and each is marked with the same test we use for votes.
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His campaign site names Iran as an adversary of the United States and calls for regional cooperation against it.
“promote long-term regional cooperation to defend American interests against adversaries like Iran”
- By the test we use for votes
- Not clear either way
Calling Iran an adversary does not say what he would do about sanctions or a deal. It settles nothing, so it counts for nothing.
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Called the United States war in Iran a disaster in September 2026 and called on his opponent to oppose it.
“Ken Paxton supports this disastrous war in Iran that’s driving up our costs”
- By the test we use for votes
- Against liberty
The measure is maximum pressure on the regime in Tehran. We count a vote to stop American action against it as against liberty.
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In a primary debate in January 2026, before the war, said protesters in Iran had been murdered in the streets, and said the same was being seen in Minnesota.
“We can have discussions about how to respond in Iran, where we have seen so many innocent civilians, protesters murdered on their streets. We’re also seeing that in Minnesota as we speak.”
- By the test we use for votes
- Not clear either way
He names the killing of protesters, and he names no step to support them, such as human rights sanctions or an open internet. That does not settle it, so it counts for nothing.
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States on his campaign site that Israel has the right to defend its people, and that he supports defensive systems like the Iron Dome.
“October 7th was the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust — and Israel has the right to defend its people.”
- By the test we use for votes
- With liberty
We count a vote to fund the Iron Dome as with liberty. Taken with the line above, his record on Israel is mixed.
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Said on The Breakfast Club podcast that he would not vote to send weapons to Israel's current government.
“I would not vote to send weapons to the Netanyahu government”
- By the test we use for votes
- Against liberty
We count a vote to block a weapons sale to Israel as against liberty.
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States on his campaign site that the United States has a duty to defend Ukraine against Russia, and calls for closer work with NATO.
“It is our duty as the world’s oldest democracy to defend Ukraine against Russian aggression”
- By the test we use for votes
- With liberty
We count a vote for aid to Ukraine as with liberty.
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In a primary debate in January 2026, called for Immigration and Customs Enforcement to be torn down and replaced with a different agency.
“It’s time to tear down this secret police force and replace it with an agency that actually is going to focus on public safety.”
- By the test we use for votes
- Against liberty
The measure is enforcing immigration law and deporting those who break it. This removes the agency that does it, though he says he would put another in its place.
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Said on a podcast in June 2026 that he is a border security Democrat.
“So I'm a border security Democrat. I believe we've gotta have a sane, orderly process to ensure that we know who's coming into our country.”
- By the test we use for votes
- With liberty
A secure border is the measure. Taken with the line above, his record on it is mixed.
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Opposed the 2025 Texas bill that requires the Ten Commandments to be posted in public school classrooms.
“But forcing teachers to post the Ten Commandments violates the most important commandment: love thy neighbor.”
- By the test we use for votes
- With liberty
The measure is no religious law in government. He opposed a state order to post a religious text in classrooms.
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States on his campaign site that he will oppose policies that put religion into schools, prisons, courts and the military.
“reject policies that force religion into neutral public spaces like schools, prisons, courts, and the military”
- By the test we use for votes
- With liberty
The measure is no religion in government and the same freedom for believers and non-believers. This is that.
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States on his campaign site that he would repeal the tariffs put in place by President Trump.
“Repeal the Trump tariffs that are making everything — from groceries to cars to clothing — more expensive.”
- By the test we use for votes
- Not clear either way
Tariffs are one of the questions we have not ruled on yet, so this counts for nothing.
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Wrote in a Texas Tribune candidate questionnaire that the corporate tax rate should be raised.
“The corporate tax rate should absolutely be increased, as it has fallen by more than half since the 1980s.”
- By the test we use for votes
- Against liberty
The measure is lower taxes. This raises one.
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States on his campaign site that he opposes book bans and would pass a law to stop the government from targeting people and groups for their speech.
“pass the No Political Enemies Act to protect individuals and organizations from being targeted by the government for exercising their freedom of speech”
- By the test we use for votes
- With liberty
The measure is no censorship by government. This is that.
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As a state representative, voted against bills that barred transgender students from school sports teams matching their gender identity, and said in 2021 that some things matter more than perfectly fair competition.
“Some things are more important than perfectly fair competition in sports”
- By the test we use for votes
- Against liberty
We count a vote for the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act as with liberty. He voted against the Texas bills of the same kind.
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Said on Fox News in September 2026 that he would oppose transgender athletes in girls' sports where it risks safety or fairness, and that he voted against the Texas bills because they were too broad.
“And so I will oppose trans athletes playing in girls’ sports if it risks safety or fairness.”
- By the test we use for votes
- Not clear either way
He opposes it on a condition and does not say which rule he would vote for. That does not settle it, so it counts for nothing.
Also on the ballot
Ted Brown (Libertarian).
Who is on the ballot: the state election offices, as listed on Wikipedia on October 4, 2026, checked against the candidate file of the Federal Election Commission. Race rating: the Cook Political Report, September 23, 2026. See a name that is wrong or missing? Use the box below.
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