Austin (United States) (AFP) – At only 37 years old, Democrat James Talarico achieved a real tour de force on Tuesday by winning the senatorial seat at stake in Texas, thus tilting to the left this bastion of American conservatism until then acquired by Donald Trump.

Published on: 04/11/2026 - 07:37

In this oil and agricultural territory, where the carrying of weapons is deeply anchored in local culture and where the Republican billionaire won with a 14-point lead in 2024, the Democrats had not won a statewide election for more than 30 years.

“Tonight, we defeated Goliath,” launched this Presbyterian seminarian in a victory speech punctuated with biblical references and calls for unity.

His victory against Ken Paxton, attorney general of the state and close ally of Donald Trump, already stands out as one of the most significant in the election, the counts of which are still underway.

Especially since it was quickly coupled with the election of Democrat Gina Hinojosa to the post of governor. When these results were announced by several American media, thousands of voters gathered in a theater in Austin, the capital of Texas, exploded with joy.

“It’s a huge victory for Texas but also for the United States,” Kathy Jackoway insisted to AFP, unable to hold back tears of joy at this news which, she hopes, will allow “to regain control of this government which is out of control”.

"Love"

The senatorial contest in this state, the second most populous in the United States, was one of the most followed.

While a victory for the left in this territory was considered unthinkable until recently, James Talarico was able to mobilize in the face of the historic unpopularity of Donald Trump and the strong dissatisfaction of the electorate with the cost of life and the war in Iran.

Elected to the Texas Parliament since 2018, this former teacher campaigned by denouncing economic inequalities and corruption. Symbol of a new generation of Democrats presenting themselves as moderates, he sought to seduce independents and those disappointed with Donald Trump.

He, who places his Christian faith at the center of his political commitment, also insisted on the need for unity and promised “policies of love”.

However, he attracted criticism from conservative Christians for his defense in particular of the right to abortion and LGBT+ rights.

Facing him, Ken Paxton, an ultra-conservative close to Donald Trump, struggled to forget the numerous scandals attached to his name.

This 63-year-old trained lawyer was notably the subject of impeachment proceedings before the local Parliament in 2023 for accusations of corruption and abuse of power, which he denies.

And his divorce, requested by his wife in 2025 for “biblical reasons”, had plunged him into a resounding adultery scandal.

- “Not the weight” -

Outgoing Republican Senator John Cornyn, who had not been dubbed by Donald Trump during the party's primaries, quickly conveyed his congratulations to James Talarico.

“The voters have spoken,” he declared on X, saying he was ready to provide “help in this transition phase”.

A sign of how much is at stake in this election: Donald Trump has visited Texas four times since the beginning of October to elect his candidate.

And Republican supporters, including the richest man in the world, Elon Musk, had paid considerable sums to come to his aid.

The wealthy entrepreneur, who has moved his businesses to Texas in recent years, has spent more than $200 million to support Ken Paxton.

What James Talarico did not fail to emphasize: “We have just proven that all the money in the world is no match for the Texans,” he told his supporters.

© 2026 AFP

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