The Texas money pit: Republicans are spending big trying to save Ken Paxton’s Senate bid, tell me about this news in (https://www.cnn.com/2026/09/29/politics/ken-paxton-republican-spending-texas-senate)
29-09-2026
National Republican groups are pouring historic amounts of money into Texas to rescue the U.S. Senate bid of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
Key details of the situation include:
Massive Spending: The Senate Leadership Fund (SLF), a major outside super PAC aligned with Senate Republican leadership, pushed its advertising investment in Texas to a staggering $100 million. Additional Republican-aligned outside groups have also stepped in with massive ad buys to bolster Paxton’s campaign.
An Unfamiliar Battlefield: Texas is traditionally a safe stronghold for Republicans, who have not lost a Senate seat in the state in over thirty years. However, the heavy spending highlights growing anxiety among party leaders as Paxton faces a surprisingly competitive race against Democratic nominee James Talarico.
Complex Party Dynamics: Senate Republican leaders and establishment figures initially opposed Paxton or stayed out of the primary racewhich saw Paxton defeat long-serving incumbent Senator John Cornyn with Donald Trump’s endorsement. Despite past friction and lingering concerns from some party members over baggage and campaign missteps, national Republicans are now compelled to spend heavily to protect the crucial seat and maintain their Senate majority.