Democrat James Talarico is launching his first negative television ad of the 2026 Texas Senate race, a 30-second spot titled “Most Corrupt” that attacks Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton over corruption allegations. The ad will air Saturday during Texas Christian University’s opening football game against the University of North Carolina as part of an eight-figure statewide ad buy, Talarico’s campaign said.
In the ad, Talarico declares: “Ken Paxton is the most corrupt politician in Texas.” He highlights Paxton’s growing real estate portfolio and the attorney general’s 2023 impeachment by the Texas House on charges including bribery and abuse of office. Paxton was acquitted on all charges by the Texas Senate.
The move marks a strategic shift for Talarico, who spent nearly $29 million on advertising before this week—almost all of it positive, featuring biographical spots about his background as a teacher and his grandfather. The new negative ad is the first time he has attacked his opponent on paid television in either the primary or general election, though he previously released online attack ads.
Paxton has survived multiple previous campaigns centered on his scandals. In 2018, Democratic lawyer Justin Nelson ran television ads featuring security camera footage of Paxton pocketing a $1,000 pen he found at a courthouse security checkpoint, narrating: “He will fight on behalf of all Texans. And he won’t steal your pen.” Nelson lost by 3.6 percentage points in a year when Republican Gov. Greg Abbott won reelection by more than 13 points.
Four years later, in the 2022 Republican primary, George P. Bush—the Texas land commissioner and grandson and nephew of two former presidents—attacked Paxton with billboards reading “he’s a crook” next to his mugshot from securities fraud charges. Pro-Paxton organizations spent more than $20 million, roughly twice Bush’s spending. Paxton defeated Bush by 34 percentage points in the runoff.
Earlier this year, incumbent U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, a Republican, said “judgment day is coming” as he tried to fend off Paxton’s primary challenge. Cornyn and his allies vastly outspent Paxton with more than $90 million in advertising, yet Paxton won the runoff decisively after former President Donald Trump endorsed him.
Paxton was first indicted on securities fraud charges in 2015 and reached a deal in 2024 to pay nearly $300,000 in restitution to end the criminal case. He was impeached by the Texas House in May 2023 over allegations that he abused his office to help an Austin real estate developer in exchange for home renovations. The Republican-controlled Texas Senate acquitted him in September 2023. Biden’s Justice Department declined to prosecute him after a yearslong federal investigation.
Talarico, who won the Democratic primary with 52.4 percent of the vote over U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, has studied how previous challengers approached Paxton and is attempting to frame him as part of a broader culture of corruption that has failed to improve people’s lives. Recent polls show Talarico leading Paxton by narrow margins—one poll found him ahead 48 percent to 42 percent, while another showed a 3-point edge among likely voters.
Talarico reported having $21.5 million available as of late last week, compared to Paxton’s $7.5 million. The Democrat’s fundraising advantage could allow him to broadcast his anti-corruption message more widely than Paxton’s previous opponents managed. Paxton’s campaign has responded by attacking Talarico’s record, with senior advisor Nick Maddux saying the Democrat is trying to “hide his own far-left record” by releasing ads on “debunked insider attacks.”
Sources
- Texas Tribune — reported the ad’s launch, content, timing, and Talarico’s prior ad spending
- PBS News — detailed Paxton’s scandal history, previous campaigns against him, polling data, and Talarico’s fundraising
- Click2Houston — confirmed the ad’s debut during TCU football game and quoted the campaign
- AP/Reuters reporting via multiple outlets — documented Paxton’s impeachment, acquittal, securities fraud case, and restitution payment
