James Talarico touts record fundraising haul in Texas Senate race

James Talarico, a Democratic candidate for the Texas Senate, has announced a record-breaking fundraising haul of $64 million in the third quarter of 2026. This amount would surpass the previous record set by Jaime Harrison, a South Carolina Democrat, in 2020, who raised $57 million in three months. Talarico's campaign has been posting significant fundraising numbers since he entered the race.

Talarico is facing Republican state Attorney General Ken Paxton, who has struggled to match the Democrat's fundraising efforts in Texas. Paxton announced earlier this month that his campaign and affiliated fundraising vehicles raised a combined $18 million in the third quarter. Despite this, Talarico's campaign has raised more than $134 million throughout the cycle, with contributions totaling $100 or less from over 1.

3 million individuals. Talarico's campaign has highlighted the grassroots nature of its fundraising efforts, with supporters contributing small amounts to help the candidate's campaign. The campaign has also been spending aggressively on digital fundraising ads, with data from the political ad tracking firm AdImpact showing that Talarico's campaign spent more than $20 million on ads in the last month alone.

The fundraising haul has been seen as a significant boost to Talarico's campaign, which has been gaining momentum in recent weeks. Recent polling has shown Talarico with a narrow lead over Paxton, mostly within the margin of error. However, Republican outside groups have been spending heavily to try to close off this pathway for Democrats, with over $175 million spent since September 1 to boost Paxton and attack Talarico.

Talarico's campaign has been using its fundraising haul to energize Democrats in Texas and across the country. The candidate has been promising to turn Texas blue, a goal that has been elusive for Democrats in recent years. With his campaign's momentum building, Talarico is seen as a potential dark horse candidate in the Senate race.

The fundraising reports, which will be released by the Federal Election Commission on Thursday night, will provide further information about how Talarico's campaign is spending its cash reserves. NBC News will continue to monitor the campaign's spending and fundraising efforts as the election approaches. Talarico's record-breaking fundraising haul has been seen as a significant challenge for Paxton's campaign, which has struggled to match the Democrat's fundraising efforts in Texas.

The outcome of the Senate race will depend on how well each candidate can mobilize their supporters and raise funds in the final stretch of the campaign. The Texas Senate election is seen as a key battleground in the 2026 midterm elections, with the outcome potentially determining the balance of power in the Senate. The election will take place on November 2, 2026, and will be closely watched by national Democrats and Republicans.