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US Politics

Trump holds two Texas rallies for Senate nominee Paxton a week before midterms

Democrat James Talarico held his own rally in Lubbock the same night, as polls show the Texas Senate race tied or narrowly leaning his way.

25 news outlets reported this
Liberal9 outletsCenter9 outletsConservative7 outlets
Published 3 min read
Overview

President Donald Trump held two rallies in Texas on Tuesday, Oct. 27, one in Corpus Christi and one in Lubbock, to back Republican nominee Ken Paxton, the state . Secretary of State Marco Rubio joined him in Corpus Christi, and NBC News reports he spoke in Lubbock too. Democratic nominee James Talarico, a state representative, held his own Lubbock rally that night.

His campaign said more than 4,000 people signed up. The election is Nov. 3. Polls described by several outlets show the race tied or with Talarico narrowly ahead, in a state where no Democrat has won a Senate seat since 1988.

Paxton beat Sen. John Cornyn in the May runoff after Trump endorsed him. Outlets note Paxton's past and , and Elon Musk's heavy spending on his side. Trump mocked Talarico with the nickname "Talafreako," which Talarico has embraced.

Talarico stressed corruption and costs. Later in the week, former New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, a Republican, told NewsNation he expects Paxton to lose.

Three sides of the story

Liberal9 outlets

Left-leaning outlets mix rally color with the political stakes. The Independent and HuffPost focus on Trump's Corpus Christi remarks, including his barbecue impression of Talarico and his claim that Talarico avoids meat. The Independent notes Talarico denies being vegan, and HuffPost says Trump has falsely claimed it.

The Independent also reports Trump's repeated comments about Sen. Jon Husted's body and his promise of $5,000 checks if Republicans keep . NBC News describes the two Lubbock rallies side by side. It quotes a Talarico supporter who blames gas prices, and the White House ballroom.

It reports Talarico calling Paxton corrupt and criticizing Elon Musk's spending, and Trump calling Talarico an "anti-gun extremist." NBC also says Rubio spoke at both Trump events. La Opinión reports that Republican Chris Sununu, a former New Hampshire governor, predicts Talarico will win, and notes no Democrat has taken a Texas Senate seat since 1988.

Center9 outlets

Centrist outlets place the rallies inside the race's wider picture. Newsweek compares Talarico's position with Beto O'Rourke's in 2018, citing polls, forecaster ratings, Paxton's legal history and high gas and diesel prices in Texas, and quotes strategists from both parties. The Christian Science Monitor frames Texas as a test of Senate control and symbolism.

It profiles nervous Paxton supporters and upbeat Talarico supporters, notes Paxton's scandals, and says his backers see them as private matters. Straight Arrow News recounts both Lubbock rallies, quoting Trump saying "we really can't lose here" and Talarico saying "we are about to win." It adds that Trump did not mention Musk and that Talarico's speech targeted him.

The Hill reports that Sununu told NewsNation Paxton would lose to Talarico, even as he is more upbeat nationally for Republicans.

Conservative7 outlets

Right-leaning outlets mostly describe Trump's appearances and the race's competitiveness. The Federalist reports a packed Lubbock event, quotes attendees worried about costs and the Iran war, and says Trump called Paxton the "best ever" attorney general. It also reports Trump admitting the race is "too close."

Breitbart summarizes Trump's speeches, stressing his argument that Talarico would hurt Texas oil, gas and jobs, along with Paxton and Rubio's remarks. The Washington Examiner lists the Lubbock rally's timing and the former football players appearing at Trump's stops. Fox News looks at Talarico's strength.

It reports his fundraising lead, over $200 million in outside spending for Paxton mostly from Musk, and voters who saw Trump's visits as a sign of Republican nervousness, alongside Paxton backers who stayed confident.

All sources: 50 articles from 25 outlets

Liberal (23)

Center (14)

Conservative (13)

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