Austin (United States) (AFP) - Democrat James Tallarico, at the age of 37, achieved a real achievement on Tuesday by winning and seizing the only seat up for renewal in the Senate in the state of Texas, a stronghold of conservatives affiliated with Donald Trump.

Published on: 04/11/2026 - 13:43

In this region rich in oil and agricultural wealth, where carrying weapons is an established part of the local culture, the Republican billionaire achieved a victory by 14 points in the year 2024. The Democrats have not achieved any victory in any statewide elections in more than 30 years.

“This evening, we defeated Goliath,” Tallarico said in a victory speech that included calls for unity, referring to the powerful biblical figure whom David defeated with a simple weapon.

His victory over Ken Paxton, the state's attorney general and a close ally of Donald Trump, constitutes one of the most prominent achievements in the election, and coincided with the election of Democrat Gina Hinojosa to the position of governor in the state.

When the results appeared in American media, thousands of voters gathered in a theater in Austin, the capital of Texas, screamed with joy.

"It's a huge victory for Texas but also for the United States," Cathy Jackoway told AFP.

"Loving"

The competition for the Senate seat in this state, which is the second most populous in the United States, was among the most closely watched election races.

While it was believed that a victory for the left was unlikely, James Tallarico was able to mobilize support, taking advantage of the record decline in Donald Trump's popularity and the strong dissatisfaction among voters regarding the cost of living and the war in Iran.

This Texas representative since 2018 and a former teacher, campaigned by denouncing economic inequality and corruption.

Because he represents a symbol of a new generation of Democrats who present themselves as centrists, he sought to win over independents and those dissatisfied with Donald Trump.

He gave his Christian faith a central place in his political commitment, also emphasizing the need for unity and pledging policies based on “love.”

However, on the other hand, he was criticized by conservative Christians, especially because of his defense of the right to abortion and gay rights.

Confronting him, Ken Paxton, a hardline conservative close to Donald Trump, was having difficulty covering up the many scandals that followed him.

In 2023, this 63-year-old lawyer was subjected to an impeachment procedure before the local parliament on charges of corruption and abuse of power, which he denies.

His divorce, which his wife requested in 2025, revealed a loud scandal related to marital infidelity.

"They had their say"

Outgoing Republican Senator John Cornyn, who did not have Donald Trump's support during the election, quickly congratulated James Tallarico.

He wrote on his account on the X platform, “The voters had their say,” declaring his readiness to provide “assistance in this transitional phase.”

In an indication of the importance of these elections, Donald Trump has visited Texas four times since the beginning of October to support his candidate.

Republican supporters, including the richest man in the world, Elon Musk, gave huge sums of money to support him.

© 2026 AFP

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