Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a U.S. Senate candidate, addresses supporters during a primary runoff election night watch party in Plano, Texas, Tuesday, May 26, 2026.
Smiley N. Pool/TNS
James Talarico is the most well-funded Texas Democratic Senate candidate in years. Some in the Republican Party are worried about the challenge Attorney General Ken Paxton is mounting in return.
“A joke,” one GOP strategist said of Paxton’s fundraising this week. Another, when asked if they were worried about the impact Paxton’s cash disadvantage could have on downballot races, said “everybody is.”
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“I’m more concerned than I was in 2018,” said Jill Tate, president of the Texas Federation of Republican Women, referring to Beto O’Rourke’s close loss to U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz. “Talarico is a formidable opponent.”
Paxton’s campaign said it raised $9 million in the quarter ending last month, compared to Talarico’s $30 million
Some Republicans who support Paxton are optimistic that his strong connections to the base and to President Donald Trump will drive turnout in November. Others say his scorched-earth primary fight with U.S. Sen. John Cornyn turned off traditional GOP donors and is evidence that enthusiasm in the broader Republican umbrella is not what it needs to be ahead of a pivotal election.
A candidate’s fundraising is important outside of the fate of their own race. Down-ballot candidates are often buoyed by high performers in their party who fund get-out-the-vote efforts, campaign events and generate excitement.
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Tate said Talarico comes across as likable and well spoken, and “that’s what affects the entire ballot.” She’s not the only one who thinks so. Cruz said Talarico has a “real chance” to beat Paxton on a radio show earlier this month. He’s now reportedly helping Paxton smooth things over with some major Republican donors.
Cornyn was a fundraising heavyweight. Back during the primary, it was something his campaign argued was a major benefit to his candidacy. So far, few of his major donors have made the move to support Paxton, recently released FEC records show. Even some of Paxton’s long-time billionaire donors have yet to offer financial support. Also absent in the latest reports are major contributions from groups affiliated with Trump.
Paxton’s campaign says they’re not worried about the funding gap with Talarico.
“Ken Paxton raised more in this cycle than any other non-incumbent Republican Senate candidate,” senior advisor Nick Maddux said in a statement. “We will absolutely have the funds needed to expose James Talarico for who he really is as an out-of-touch radical whose policies are too extreme for Texas.”
Texas is a particularly expensive environment to campaign in, with millions of voters and multiple expensive media markets. The price tag is often a major hurdle for candidates.
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If Paxton can’t turn the fundraising ship around, Republicans will need someone else to step in. They’re looking to Gov. Greg Abbott and Trump, who many Cornyn supporters blame for tanking Cornyn’s chances with his last-minute endorsement of Paxton.
Abbott’s office declined to comment on specific candidates, but press secretary Eduardo Leal said the governor “is supporting the entire Republican ticket to ensure Texas continues to lead with secure borders, safe communities, lower taxes, and an affordable economy that creates opportunity for hardworking Texans.”
Beth Cubriel, a political consultant and former executive director of the state Republican Party, said she’s confident that Trump will show up if things get dire, and that Abbott, who is also on the ballot, will help buoy candidates across the state.
“I do think Republicans will survive this cycle,” she said, adding that, in the worst case, they might lose a few state House seats and “perhaps have to recollect their thoughts before losing additional seats in the future.”
Trump has amassed an impressive war chest of more than $400 million that he has yet to deploy in many races, but could eventually benefit Paxton. The president is also expected to appear at a Republican convention in Dallas in September. While not explicitly tied to Paxton, the convention is an obvious opportunity to boost his candidacy.
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At the national level, some Republicans have sounded resentful that reliably red Texas is even in play. They may determine that it’s smarter to spend money on competitive seats in other states. Paxton isn’t the only Republican Senate candidate whose fundraising is behind their Democratic challenger. That may stretch the resources of federal groups to help.
Those who supported Paxton or simply stayed out of his way should feel the weight of making up for his campaign’s weaknesses, Cornyn supporters expressed. The business issues and political controversies that have stayed the hands of some donors were all public beforehand.
Wayne Hamilton, a longtime GOP political operative, noted that Paxton has never run a federal race before and will need time to build up his rolodex of donors.
“It’s a matter of who he knows,” he said. But regardless, “the third party groups are gonna be the ones to drive the fundraising and expenditures.”
Paxton could be assured protection. Neither Abbott nor Trump will want to be in office when Texas loses its first statewide seat to Democrats in years. Plus, the Supreme Court last month cleared the way for national groups to spend more and coordinate directly with campaigns. The Republican National Committee has far outraised its Democratic counterpart and could help balance the financial scale in Paxton’s favor. Republican National Committee Chair Joe Gruters previously said the committee would do “whatever is needed” to ensure Paxton’s victory.
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Grassroots organizers also said they’re built to weather cycles without a well-funded candidate at the top of the ticket.
“We know that our success is going to fall to us, and we know that our abilities are going to be what wins the day locally on those down ballot races,” said Tim Davis, chair of the Tarrant County Republican Party.
Republicans said it’s a matter of timing. As things get closer to election day, if polls stay close, donors will come around. Tate said she’s hoping to see Paxton out and about more, meeting with voters and holding events with other candidates.
“Whatever’s at the top trickles down,” Tate said. “The point is, if you’re going to come vote for one, we want you to vote for all.”