AUSTIN — Ken Paxton’s campaign announced Monday that it raised $18 million in the third quarter of 2026, about double what it raised in the previous three months.
It was a flex by the attorney general, who had faced a significant fundraising disadvantage against Democrat James Talarico since Paxton won the Republican Party’s nomination in May.
But as the Nov. 3 election nears, Paxton has seen campaign donations swell. Monday is the last day to register to vote, and early voting begins Oct. 19.
Campaign spokesman Nick Maddux said in a statement more than 160,000 donors have given to Paxton.
“Republicans from all corners of Texas have given to the campaign because they know what’s at stake,” Maddux said.
While a new high for Paxton’s campaign, it was still less than the $30 million Talarico’s campaign raised in the second quarter of 2026.
Talarico’s campaign had not released its latest fundraising numbers Monday and had no comment on Paxton’s third-quarter total. But the campaign pointed to leaked audio from a lunch hosted by lobbyists in Washington in which Paxton said he had “never been in a race where I felt less control over the campaign,” according to Politico.
“Ken Paxton is a puppet,” Talarico said on X.
Paxton’s campaign told Politico that he was referring to laws that prohibit campaigns and candidates from coordinating with PACs, preventing Paxton from controlling their messaging.
Paxton recently announced a $20 million ad buy leading up to the election. It’s his campaign’s largest ad buy this election cycle. However, it remains dwarfed by the money spent by PACs supporting Paxton, which have spent nearly $200 million flooding the zone.