The U.S. Chamber of Commerce endorsed Texas Republican Senate nominee Ken Paxton as he and his opponent, James Talarico, hosted dueling campaign rallies Sunday evening ahead of Texas early voting beginning on Monday.
Talarico hosted a rally in Plano as part of a “major campaign push focused on North Texas,” according to Fox 4 News Dallas-Fort Worth, while Paxton brought his “Come and Take It Tour” to San Antonio. The pair outlined closing arguments for Texas voters as the state’s early voting process begins on Monday.
Paxton has struggled to establish a lead over his Democratic opponent despite Texas’s history as a Republican stronghold and his endorsement from President Donald Trump. Trump’s decision to endorse Paxton over Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) in the primary election angered some Republicans who believed Cornyn was more likely to win the general election.
“The choice is clear in Texas,” Neil Bradley, Executive Vice President and Chief Policy Officer of the Chamber of Commerce, which is the nation’s largest pro-business group, said on Sunday. “Attorney General Ken Paxton has been a defender of free enterprise and pro-growth policies that empower American businesses to thrive. He has pushed back against federal overreach, helped preserve a low-tax environment, and defended the energy sector from burdensome mandates. Paxton understands that true economic prosperity relies on a fair and predictable justice system. We look forward to working together on meaningful legal reform that shields job creators from lawsuit abuse and red tape.”
TALARICO’S TEXAS-SIZED OPENING: PAXTON CAN’T UNITE REPUBLICAN VOTE
The RealClearPolitics polling average shows Talarico with a slight lead over Paxton. Talarico has largely framed the scandal-plagued Republican candidate as someone unwilling to stand up to Trump’s unpopular policies, while Paxton has hit his Democratic counterpart for previous statements many argue are out of touch with modern Texas voters.
The trade group’s endorsement is unlikely to affect the race and is broadly unsurprising, given that its pro-growth policy stances are largely shared by Republican lawmakers, but it may still bolster a candidate who has otherwise struggled to rally Republican enthusiasm throughout the campaign. Paxton said Sunday he will “get bureaucrats out of the way of the men and women who drive our economy” and said, “If we lost Texas, we lose America.” He will host an early voting kickoff event alongside Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Monday night.