Deep in Trump country, a new generation reveals the divide behind Texas' tight Senate race

Texas, a state Republicans have controlled statewide for decades, is hosting an unexpectedly close Senate contest between Republican Ken Paxton and Democrat James Talarico. A Fox News poll taken in October put the two even at 49% among likely voters, even though President Donald Trump carried the state by nearly 14 points in 2024. Trump traveled to Lubbock on Tuesday to campaign with Paxton, while Talarico courted voters elsewhere in the city. Talarico is trying to deliver Democrats their first statewide breakthrough in more than three decades.

The divide is visible among three roommates at Texas Tech University who spoke with Fox News Digital. Isabella, who hopes to work in oil and gas, is thinking about how government policy affects that industry, and she doubts Texas will turn blue anytime soon. Kate, a 19-year-old from Dallas who voted for Talarico, is motivated by women's healthcare and immigration, and she called casting her first ballot an exciting chance to make a difference. Candy is weighing higher everyday costs and worries about public education.

Together, the students illustrate how economic pressures and cost of living could influence how the state's youngest voters approach the race.

Summarized by PolitiKool from Fox News’s reporting. Read the full story at Fox News →