Who is running for U.S. Senate (Texas) in 2026?

Texas Attorney General

Ken Paxton has been Texas Attorney General since 2015, after serving in the Texas House from 2003 to 2013 and the Texas Senate from 2013 to 2015³²⁴. He won the 2026 Republican Senate nomination by defeating incumbent John Cornyn in a May 26 runoff². He was impeached by the Texas House in May 2023 and acquitted by the Texas Senate in September 2023²³²⁴.

Where they stand

• Abortion: Illegal, except to save the mother's life or in cases of rape or incest Official action · low confidence
  • Sued a New York doctor for mailing abortion drugs to a Texas resident in violation of Texas law. (2024-12-13) source
  • Campaign platform says he will stand with President Trump to defend the unborn. (2026) source
• Guns: Keep current laws and enforce what is already on the books Official action · low confidence
  • Sued, with Gun Owners of America, to block an ATF rule treating pistols with stabilizing braces as short-barreled rifles. (2023-02-09) source
  • Led a multistate lawsuit against an ATF rule expanding who must be licensed to sell firearms privately. (2024-05-01) source
  • Campaign platform promises to protect gun rights and criticizes Republicans and Democrats who have attacked Second Amendment rights. (2026) source
• Immigration: Deport everyone here illegally, as quickly as possible Said · low confidence
  • Campaign platform says he will champion securing the border and deporting illegal aliens, and help finish the border wall. (2026) source
  • Won a Fifth Circuit ruling, in a lawsuit Texas brought, affirming that the federal DACA policy is unlawful. (2025-01-17) source
• Birthright citizenship: No, end it for children of parents here illegally or temporarily Said · medium confidence
  • Sued a Houston-area birth tourism business that helped Chinese nationals give birth in Texas. (2026-04-29) source
  • Said in announcing the suit that birthright citizenship is a scam that threatens national security. (2026-04-29) source
• Transgender athletes: No, teams should be based on biological sex, with open or coed options Official action · medium confidence
  • Sued the NCAA under Texas consumer law, asking a court to bar biological males from women's events involving Texas teams. (2024-12-22) source
  • Campaign platform pledges to defeat the effort to put men in girls' sports. (2026) source
• Religion in schools: Support Texas's laws: Ten Commandments in classrooms and optional prayer periods Official action · high confidence
  • Sued Round Rock and Leander school districts for refusing to display donated Ten Commandments posters as required by Texas SB 10. (2025-11-18) source
• Redistricting: State legislatures draw maps and may redraw any time, including for partisan advantage Official action · high confidence
  • Asked the U.S. Supreme Court to let Texas use its 2025 mid-decade congressional map. (2025-11-21) source
  • Said Texas engaged in partisan redistricting solely to secure more Republican seats in Congress. (2025-11-21) source
  • Won a Supreme Court ruling allowing the 2025 map to be used for the 2026 elections. (2026-04-27) source
• Kids online: Require app stores and platforms to verify age and get parental consent Official action · high confidence
  • Defended Texas' age verification law for pornography sites and won at the U.S. Supreme Court. (2025-06-27) source
  • Defended Texas' app store law requiring age verification and parental approval for minors' app downloads in the Fifth Circuit. (2026-06-01) source
• Energy and climate: Maximize oil and gas; climate rules hurt the economy Official action · medium confidence
  • Sued the Biden administration to block an EPA rule limiting methane and other emissions from oil and gas operations. (2024-03-08) source
  • Campaign platform promises to remove harmful regulations designed to hurt energy companies. (2026) source
• DEI programs: Ban DEI offices and required training at public institutions, as Texas has Official action · medium confidence
  • Issued a legal opinion declaring DEI frameworks in more than 100 state laws unconstitutional, including DEI programs in schools and state and local government. (2026-01-19) source
• Aid to Ukraine: Stop sending aid and stay out of it Said · low confidence
  • Criticized Sen. John Cornyn for voting for the Senate's Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan aid package, posting that Cornyn would defend other countries' borders but not America's. (2024-02-13) source
  • Campaign platform criticizes sending billions to foreign countries and protecting the borders of other nations. (2026) source
• Foreign policy: Pull back from foreign conflicts and aid (often called America First) Said · low confidence
  • Campaign platform backs an America First foreign policy of peace through strength and criticizes sending billions to foreign countries. (2026) source
• Marijuana: Position does not fit our answer choices; see evidence. Official action · medium confidence
  • Sued Austin, San Marcos, Killeen, Elgin and Denton over policies telling police not to enforce marijuana possession laws. (2024-01-31) source
• Death penalty: Position does not fit our answer choices; see evidence. Official action · medium confidence
  • Disputed calls to spare Robert Roberson, whose execution had been delayed, and released the child's autopsy report, saying it showed the conviction was not based on shaken baby syndrome. (2024-10-23) source
• Income taxes: Position does not fit our answer choices; see evidence. Said · medium confidence
  • Campaign platform says he will fight to cut taxes and champion President Trump's legislative priorities, including cutting taxes. (2026) source
• National debt: Position does not fit our answer choices; see evidence. Said · medium confidence
  • Campaign platform says he will stop the wasteful spending that led to more than $36 trillion in debt. (2026) source

No public position found on: Social Security, Safety net programs, Minimum wage, Business regulation, Healthcare, Trade and tariffs, Judges, Politicians trading stocks, Term limits, Campaign finance, Electoral College, Supreme Court reform, Qualified immunity, Mandatory minimums, Drug prices, Childcare and pre-K, Paid leave, Student loans, AI regulation, School vaccines, Nuclear power, E-Verify mandate, Aid to Israel, China policy.

Texas State Representative, District 50

James Talarico is a former middle school teacher in San Antonio who has served in the Texas House since 2018, first representing District 52 and later District 50²²³. He holds degrees from the University of Texas at Austin and Harvard and has studied at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary²³. He won the Democratic Senate nomination outright in the March 3, 2026 primary².

Where they stand

• Income taxes: Raise taxes on the highest earners and corporations to pay for programs Said · high confidence
  • Platform calls for higher taxes on billionaires' income and capital gains, a higher corporate tax rate, and a higher tax on stock buybacks, so taxes can be cut for working families and small businesses. (2026) source
• Minimum wage: Raise it to around $15 Said · high confidence
  • Platform calls for raising the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour. (2026) source
  • As a state representative, authored legislation to raise Texas' minimum wage to $15 an hour. (2026) source
• Social Security: Raise the payroll tax cap so high earners pay more; no benefit cuts Said · high confidence
  • Platform pledges to fight cuts to Social Security and Medicare and to apply the Social Security tax to earnings above $400,000 a year. (2026) source
• Safety net programs: Expand help for childcare, housing and paid family leave Said · medium confidence
  • Platform pledges to stand up to attacks on SNAP and WIC and to expand the Child Tax Credit and the Earned Income Tax Credit. (2026) source
  • Platform calls for passing paid family leave legislation and expanding access to affordable child care. (2026) source
• Business regulation: Stronger rules on big corporations, banks and tech companies Said · medium confidence
  • Platform calls for stopping corporate landlords from manipulating rents, barring Wall Street from buying up housing, and more oversight of mergers, while repealing outdated red tape on home building. (2026) source
• Healthcare: Add a government plan anyone can buy into (a public option) Said · high confidence
  • Platform calls for letting every American of any age join Medicare as an option that competes with private insurance, and restoring the enhanced ACA tax credits. (2026) source
• Drug prices: Negotiate more drugs and extend the insulin and yearly cost caps to private insurance Said · medium confidence
  • Platform calls for more Medicare negotiating power, caps on out-of-pocket costs for lifesaving drugs, generic drug incentives and regulation of pharmacy benefit managers. (2026) source
  • His campaign says that as a state legislator he helped cap insulin copays at $25 a month and allow Texas to import cheaper prescription drugs from Canada. (2026) source
• Abortion: Legal in most cases up to viability (about 24 weeks) Said · high confidence
  • Platform calls for codifying Roe v. Wade and protecting access to contraception and IVF. (2026) source
  • Voted no on SB 8, the Texas law banning abortion after cardiac activity is detected and allowing private lawsuits. (2021-05-06) source
• Guns: Add universal background checks and red-flag laws Said · medium confidence
  • Platform calls for universal background checks, secure storage requirements around children, and raising the purchase age for semi-automatic rifles with certain military-style features. (2026) source
  • Voted no on HB 1927, the Texas bill allowing permitless carry of handguns. (2021-04-16) source
• Immigration: Tighter border security plus a path to legal status for long-time residents Said · medium confidence
  • Platform calls for securing the border, making it easier to come here legally, prioritizing deportation of criminals, gang members and human traffickers, a path to citizenship for immigrants here longest and for Dreamers and spouses, and temporary work permits for recent arrivals. (2026) source
• Trade and tariffs: Free trade with strong labor and environmental standards Said · medium confidence
  • Platform calls for repealing the Trump administration's broad tariffs and approving trade deals with protections against foreign competitors exploiting weak labor laws. (2026) source
• Foreign policy: Stay closely engaged with allies and alliances like NATO Said · medium confidence
  • Platform calls for deeper cooperation with NATO, the EU and other allies and restoring funding for diplomacy and international development. (2026) source
• Aid to Israel: Keep it, but with conditions on how weapons are used and aid to Gaza Said · medium confidence
  • Platform calls for stopping offensive weapons sales to the Netanyahu government while supporting defensive systems like Iron Dome, with agreements that U.S. funds will not be used to harm civilians. (2026) source
• Aid to Ukraine: Position does not fit our answer choices; see evidence. Said · medium confidence
  • Platform supports measures that let the U.S., Ukraine and European partners negotiate from strength and hold Russia accountable. (2026) source
• Energy and climate: A gradual shift to cleaner energy, driven by incentives Said · low confidence
  • Platform calls for reinstating federal tax credits and loans that accelerate renewable energy, while adding oil, gas, wind, solar, geothermal and hydrogen jobs. (2026) source
  • His campaign says he authored legislation as a state representative to create a Texas Climate Action Act. (2026) source
  • His August 2026 economic plan called for investing in renewable energy and partnering with the oil and gas industry in an all-of-the-above energy approach. (2026-08-05) source
• Politicians trading stocks: No, ban it for members and their spouses Said · high confidence
  • Platform calls for banning members of Congress from trading individual stocks. (2026) source
• Marijuana: Legalize it and clear past convictions Said · high confidence
  • Platform calls for legalizing regulated marijuana for adults and expunging marijuana arrest records. (2026) source
  • Authored a Texas bill to legalize regulated adult marijuana. (2026) source
• Redistricting: Independent commissions draw maps, with a national ban on partisan gerrymandering Said · high confidence
  • Platform calls for banning partisan gerrymandering nationwide and establishing independent redistricting commissions. (2026) source
  • Was one of the House Democrats who left Texas in August 2025 to deny a quorum during mid-decade congressional redistricting; the attorney general asked the Texas Supreme Court to declare his seat vacant. (2025-08) source
• Term limits: Yes, but longer limits that still allow long service, such as 12 years per chamber Said · high confidence
  • Platform calls for term limits of six two-year terms in the House and two six-year terms in the Senate, 12 years in each chamber. (2026) source
• Campaign finance: Overturn Citizens United by amendment and add public financing of campaigns Said · medium confidence
  • Platform calls for reversing the impact of Citizens United, including banning super PACs and corporate PACs. (2026) source
• Supreme Court reform: Add 18-year term limits and an enforceable ethics code, keeping nine seats Said · medium confidence
  • Platform calls for term limits and a binding code of conduct for Supreme Court justices. (2026) source
  • Said he would vote for binding codes of conduct and term limits for justices and that he is open to a discussion about expanding the number of justices. (2026-09-10) source
• Childcare and pre-K: Guarantee low-cost childcare for all families plus universal pre-K Said · medium confidence
  • Platform calls for universal pre-K for every 3- and 4-year-old and strong investments in child care for children under 3. (2026) source
  • His August 2026 economic plan called for passing universal child care and paid family leave. (2026-08-05) source
• Paid leave: Create a national paid family and medical leave program plus paid sick days Said · medium confidence
  • Platform calls for paid family leave legislation so workers can bond with a new child or care for a seriously ill family member. (2026) source
• Kids online: Also require safe-by-default design and a legal duty of care Said · medium confidence
  • Platform calls for giving parents more control over children's social media, prohibiting platforms from targeting minors with algorithms, and reining in platforms' broad legal immunity. (2026) source
• Religion in schools: None from the school: no required displays, prayer periods or Bible lessons Voted · medium confidence
  • Voted no on SB 10, requiring Ten Commandments displays in Texas classrooms. (2025-05-25) source
  • Voted no on SB 11, allowing school boards to adopt daily prayer and Bible reading periods. (2025-05-23) source
  • Platform pledges to reject policies that force religion into neutral public spaces like schools. (2026) source
• DEI programs: Keep them and let each school or agency decide Voted · medium confidence
  • Voted no on SB 17, the 2023 Texas law banning DEI offices at public universities. (2023-05-22) source
• Transgender athletes: Let each state, school or sports body decide Said · medium confidence
  • Voted no on HB 25, requiring Texas public school athletes to compete based on biological sex. (2021-10-14) source
  • Said he will oppose trans athletes playing in girls' sports if it risks safety or fairness, and that he supported amendments in the Legislature to let local communities make these decisions. (2026-09-09) source
• National debt: A mix of spending cuts and tax increases Said · low confidence
  • His August 2026 economic plan called for cutting the national deficit by closing billionaire tax loopholes, cracking down on tax cheats and ending wars in the Middle East. (2026-08-05) source

Said vs. did

• Transgender athletes: Said: On September 9, 2026 he said he will oppose trans athletes playing in girls' sports if it risks safety or fairness²¹. Did: On October 14, 2021 he voted against HB 25, which requires Texas public school students to compete in sports based on biological sex¹⁷; he has said he voted no because the bill was overly broad and amendments to narrow it, including leaving decisions to local school boards, were rejected²¹.

No public position found on: Judges, Electoral College, Death penalty, Qualified immunity, Mandatory minimums, Student loans, AI regulation, School vaccines, Nuclear power, Birthright citizenship, E-Verify mandate, China policy.

Private citizen

Ted Brown is a retired insurance adjuster from the Austin area and longtime Libertarian Party activist³⁴. He was the party's 2024 U.S. Senate nominee and won the 2026 nomination at the Libertarian state convention³².

Where they stand

• Income taxes: Cut taxes across the board, including for top earners and corporations Said · medium confidence
  • Said he wants to repeal the federal income tax, abolish the IRS and never vote to raise taxes. (2024) source
• National debt: Cut spending sharply, including popular programs, to balance the budget Said · medium confidence
  • Said stopping deficit spending requires massive cuts in every federal program and department. (2024) source
• Healthcare: Mostly private market; roll back the government's role Said · medium confidence
  • Called for a separation of health care and state, including repeal of Medicare, Medicaid and health care regulations. (2024) source
• Business regulation: Cut regulations broadly and let the market sort it out Said · medium confidence
  • Said he believes in a free market where people trade without government regulations and controls. (2024) source
• Guns: Remove most restrictions; bearing arms is a right Said · medium confidence
  • Said he will work to repeal existing gun control laws and opposes red-flag laws. (2024) source
• Immigration: Much more open immigration with less enforcement Said · medium confidence
  • Called for an Ellis Island-style system, no more border wall, ending deportations except for violent criminals, and immediate citizenship for Dreamers. (2024) source
• E-Verify mandate: No, and scale back worksite raids in favor of legal work visas Said · medium confidence
  • Listed E-Verify requirements to find work as an infringement on Americans' liberty and privacy. (2024) source
• Trade and tariffs: Free trade with minimal tariffs across the board Said · medium confidence
  • Said he believes in free trade, that tariffs are taxes on consumers, and that the Trump trade wars must end. (2024) source
• Foreign policy: Pull back from foreign conflicts and aid (often called America First) Said · medium confidence
  • Supports non-intervention, bringing all troops home, leaving alliances like NATO and ending all foreign aid. (2024) source
  • Described his approach as including a non-interventionist foreign policy. (2026-06-02) source
• Aid to Israel: End it Said · medium confidence
  • Said he will work to end all foreign aid payments, military and humanitarian. (2024) source
• Aid to Ukraine: Stop sending aid and stay out of it Said · medium confidence
  • Said he will work to end all foreign aid payments and warned against sleepwalking into war with Russia or China. (2024) source
• Marijuana: Legalize it and clear past convictions Said · medium confidence
  • Called for removing marijuana from the controlled substances list, repealing marijuana laws, and releasing and expunging records of nonviolent drug offenders. (2024) source
• Death penalty: Abolish it and use life without parole instead Said · medium confidence
  • Said premeditated murderers should face life in prison without possibility of parole rather than execution, citing the risk of executing innocent people. (2024) source
• Mandatory minimums: Repeal them and let judges set each sentence Said · medium confidence
  • Said he opposes mandatory minimum sentences and supports letting jurors set sentences. (2024) source
• Qualified immunity: No, end it for police so officers or departments can be sued for rights violations Said · medium confidence
  • Called for ending qualified immunity for police officers and other officials who violate people's rights. (2024) source
• Term limits: Position does not fit our answer choices; see evidence. Questionnaire answer · medium confidence
  • Said he believes in limiting senators to two six-year terms. (2024) source
• Abortion: Legal in all cases, left to the woman and her doctor Questionnaire answer · low confidence
  • In a 2022 state House race survey, said government should not interfere with doctors and patients deciding on medical care, including termination of pregnancy. (2022) source

No public position found on: Social Security, Safety net programs, Minimum wage, Energy and climate, Judges, Politicians trading stocks, Redistricting, Campaign finance, Electoral College, Supreme Court reform, Drug prices, Childcare and pre-K, Paid leave, Student loans, AI regulation, Kids online, School vaccines, Nuclear power, Birthright citizenship, Transgender athletes, DEI programs, Religion in schools, China policy.