Republican 'cavalry' arrives with a Trump-backed $150 million ad blitz in key races

When speaking this month at the Republican convention in Dallas, Texas Senate nominee Ken Paxton, the state attorney general, made no secret of the fact he needed financial backup. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images hide caption

For months, Republican U.S. Senate candidate Ken Paxton was outspent on the air in Texas, first in a bruising primary, then as Democratic nominee James Talarico spent millions of dollars to introduce himself to voters.

That all changed this month with a massive money bomb from Republican super PACs and dark money groups, including President Trump's MAGA Inc. and Texas PAC, which is aligned with Senate Republicans.

All told, pro-Paxton ad reservations for the month of September add up to more than $94 million, enough to swamp the roughly $20 million supporting Talarico in the same timeframe. According to the tracking firm AdImpact, that GOP total for September seeking to boost the scandal-plagued Paxton is more than Democrats have spent the entire cycle on ads in Texas.

Last week at the Republican convention in Dallas, Paxton, the state's attorney general, made no secret of the fact that he needed backup.

"He is the most radical Democrat in Texas history, but he's also the most well funded," Paxton said about Talarico, in an address to convention-goers. "Which is why today I need your prayers, your votes and your support."

Talarico, a state representative, has been able to raise blockbuster sums for his campaign through viral television appearances and fundraising appeals. As of the most recent campaign finance deadline at the end of June, the Democrat had 12 times more cash on hand than Paxton. But that advantage is easily overwhelmed by super PACs and dark money groups that can raise unlimited funds and since Labor Day have swooped in to boost Republicans all over the country.

When it comes to ad spending, Republicans now have a significant advantage heading into the closing weeks of the 2026 midterms.