AUSTIN, Texas \u2014 With early voting ending today, candidates in several high-profile Texas races have made their final push this week as new polling shows tight margins and turnout continues to climb in Central Texas.<\/p>\n
Through Thursday, Travis County recorded 398,190 early ballots, while Williamson County reported 208,620.<\/p>\n
ALSO | Austin voters weigh in on whether Trump\u2019s Texas visits are influencing their votes<\/a><\/p>\n In the U.S. Senate race, Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton<\/a> and Democratic state Rep. James Talarico<\/a> campaigned this week, delivering closing arguments to voters.<\/p>\n \u201cThere’s that moment in every game, the last play of the last drive. When you have to leave it all on the field. Dallas, we are in that moment. In the final days of this election, they are coming at us with everything they’ve got,\u201d Talarico said.<\/p>\n Paxton urged supporters to turn out, saying, \u201cDo you want a US senator that thinks capitalism and free markets are oppressive and wants to dismantle it? Then I’m gonna ask you to do exactly what President Trump did after Butler, Pennsylvania, and that is fight, fight, fight to save Texas and America.\u201d<\/p>\n New Barbara Jordan Center polling puts Talarico at 49% and Paxton at 47%, a difference within the margin of error.<\/p>\n In the governor\u2019s race, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott is facing Democratic state Rep. Gina Hinojosa. Both have been on the campaign trail, sharing closing messages and encouraging voters to cast ballots.<\/p>\n \u201cI’m not running to be the governor for Democrats. I’m running to be the governor for the people of Texas. My record is one focus on public schools. My record is one focus on working families, and in that fight we’re all in the same boat,\u201d Hinojosa said.<\/p>\n Abbott pointed to both economic and broader issues in his closing pitch, saying, \u201cAffordability is a major issue, but our values and what’s happening in our state, the contrast between myself and my opponent is so gaping wide that you will see the necessity of not just you but others across the state being sure they go vote.\u201d<\/p>\n New Barbara Jordan Center polling puts Abbott at 50% and Hinojosa at 47%.<\/p>\n