Texas Democrat James Talarico faces grilling from voters at town hall in tight Senate race

Texas Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico spent a CNN town hall on Wednesday answering pointed questions from undecided voters, as the most recent polls give him a slim edge over Republican nominee Ken Paxton. Paxton turned down an invitation to take part, host Erin Burnett said. Democrats have not captured a Senate seat in Texas since the late 1980s and are betting that Talarico can attract independents and Republicans weary of Donald Trump's second term or put off by Paxton's controversies, according to The Guardian.

Talarico presented himself as a moderate who would put Texans ahead of party loyalty, and he targeted the ultra-wealthy as a shared adversary. A voter challenged his faith over an earlier comment calling God nonbinary; he admitted he had been deliberately provocative while arguing the point is theologically mainstream. Jodi Hunt, a Catholic who votes on a single issue, questioned his support for abortion rights. He said they might disagree morally but share a policy aim of fewer unplanned pregnancies.

He also addressed a false rumor, amplified by Paxton and Trump, that he had been treated at an Ohio mental health facility during a week away from campaigning. His campaign said he had the flu.

Summarized by PolitiKool from The Guardian’s reporting. Read the full story at The Guardian →