Ken Paxton and James Talarico are neck and neck in U.S. Senate race, new poll finds
A new poll found Talarico nearly tied with Ken Paxton in the Texas Senate race.

SOURCE CHECK
TAP FOR WHYCredibility rates Houston Public Media, where this article appeared. The other scores rate the article itself.
The reporting is attributed to The Texas Tribune, an established nonprofit newsroom, and Houston Public Media identifies the article as first appearing there. The article includes an author byline and gives poll details, though the page itself is reproducing another outlet’s work.
- Source type — The reporting is attributed to an established nonprofit news organization.
- Transparency — The article names its author and discloses the relationship between the University of Texas at Austin and The Texas Tribune.
- Editorial standards — The Texas Tribune is described as nonprofit and nonpartisan, and the article includes poll methodology and attribution.
- Author attribution — The article names Kayla Guo and identifies The Texas Tribune as its original publisher.
The article reports specific poll results, sample size, field dates and margin of error, and compares the findings with an earlier survey. It offers useful demographic detail, though the account primarily relies on one poll and gives limited independent interpretation of the results.
HOW WE SCORE ↗The article gives comparable attention to both candidates’ overall support and reports findings favorable to each. It provides polling context and methodology, but relies chiefly on one survey and does not include candidate responses or outside analysis.
- Source diversity — The central evidence comes from one poll, with other recent polls mentioned but not detailed.
- Counterarguments presented — The article does not include candidate responses or competing interpretations of the poll.
- Omitted context — It provides a sample size, field dates and margin of error, as well as comparison with an earlier poll.
- Loaded language — The article uses limited evaluative phrasing and generally attributes descriptions and results.
The article presents polling results and demographic breakdowns in largely neutral language. It does not advocate for either candidate.
- Language tone — The wording is mostly descriptive and attributes results to the poll.
- Framing — The article centers on the margin between the two candidates and reports changes since the earlier survey.
- Source selection — The core claims are attributed to the named poll rather than presented as the author’s political judgment.
Cites Texas Tribune
This article cites Texas Tribune as its original publisher. ChamberLight has not verified that it is a republication, so the scores are Houston Public Media's own.
57 stories · 78–81 · updated Oct 7, 2026
This is Texas Tribune's own score. The Source Check scores are for Houston Public Media and this article.
A University of Texas at Austin poll found Ken Paxton leading James Talarico 43% to 42% in the Texas U.S. Senate race, within the survey’s margin of error. The results show a close contest after Paxton gained ground among Republicans compared with the pollster’s April survey.
The Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas at Austin surveyed 1,200 self-reported registered voters from June 5 to 12. Paxton led Talarico 43% to 42%, with a 3.5-point margin of error; the article says that result largely aligns with other recent polls showing a competitive race. In the pollster’s April survey, Paxton trailed by 8 points, while his support rose from 34% to 43% in the latest poll and Talarico remained at 42%.
The poll found that 84% of Republican voters said they had moved on from the GOP primary and would support Paxton. Talarico led among independents, moderates, voters under 65, voters with at least a two-year college degree, and women; Paxton led among men. The poll also found Talarico leading among Hispanic voters, while about two-thirds of Black voters said they would support him.
Community verdict
VOTING CLOSEDNo good or bad look here
This story reports what happened without casting Talarico in a good or bad light, so readers don’t rate it and it doesn’t count toward Talarico’s record.
People in this story
SWIPE →U.S. representative mentioned in connection with Black voters’ support in the primary
President of the United States
Democratic candidate for Texas comptroller
U.S. senator and former Republican runoff opponent of Paxton
Part of a bigger story
4 OUTLETSA poll puts Ken Paxton slightly ahead of James Talarico in the Texas U.S. Senate race, with both presented as close contests. Talarico is Paxton’s opponent in the race. Center outlets stress the narrow margin and, in some coverage, shifts in support since April. Right-leaning outlets present the poll as favorable to Republicans and include criticism of Talarico’s positions and personal conduct.
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- OUTLETS
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- AVG CRED
- 70
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