Texas state Rep. James Talarico‘s Senate campaign announced Wednesday that it raised a historically massive figure in the first quarter of 2026, signaling momentum in his bid to put the red state in play for Democrats.
Talarico raked in $27 million during the first three months of 2026, one of the highest figures on record for a Senate candidate. Of that amount, he raised $10 million since winning the Democratic nomination last month, when he defeated Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX), according to his campaign.
The record is held by former Democratic National Committee Chairman Jaime Harrison, who raised $57 million during his unsuccessful 2020 South Carolina Senate race. In the latest cycle, Talarico’s $27 million sum outshines Senate candidates across the country, including Sen. Jon Ossoff’s (D-GA) $14 million announced in the first quarter of fundraising, Ohio Democrat Sherrod Brown’s $12 million, and North Carolina Republican Michael Whatley’s $5 million.
“Grassroots contributors from almost every county in Texas are sending Washington D.C. a clear message: they’re tired of this broken, corrupt political system and they’re ready to take back Texas for working people,” Talarico said in a statement. “We’re bringing Democrats, Republicans, and Independents together to end billionaire control over our politics and bring down costs for families across our state.”
The development comes as Democrats eye division among Texas Republicans as an opportunity to flip the seat blue. Several recent polls have given Talarico a lead in the general election. Should he win the race, he would be the first Democrat to win statewide in Texas in three decades.
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On the Republican side, Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) and Attorney General Ken Paxton are facing a runoff election on May 26 to determine which candidate will advance to the November election. Some of the most recent polling indicates Cornyn holds a narrow lead, as the two rivals have been engaged in a bitter race.
Cornyn’s campaign raised nearly $9 million in the first quarter of 2026.