DALLAS — With less than a month before early voting begins, a U.S. Senate debate between Republican Ken Paxton and Democrat James Talarico now appears unlikely.
The Paxton campaign had been communicating with WFAA management for weeks to organize a potential debate.
But it has not responded to messages since Aug. 24.
Neither Nick Maddux, Paxton’s senior campaign adviser, nor Madison Cercy, the campaign’s deputy director of communications, responded to requests for comment on this story.
‘Of course, we are going to debate James Talarico’
Talks began back in July when Talarico challenged Paxton to three debates.
“Of course, we are going to debate James Talarico and we look forward to engaging with potential debate hosts,” Maddux said in July. “Talarico is a serial liar who has spent his entire campaign shamelessly deceiving Texas voters about his radical record with[out] answering the hard questions.”
But neither Maddux nor his team have tried to help plan a debate beyond early discussions in July and August.
Political observers said they are not surprised by Paxton’s reluctance to a face-to-face meetup with Talarico.
“In addition to being a less dynamic speaker and generally less charismatic presence, Paxton is also reluctant to face direct questions about his past ethical lapses and marital infidelities. It would be hard to dodge those entirely in a debate format,” said Matthew Wilson, Associate Professor of Political Science, at SMU. “Paxton may feel that, since most voters don’t watch senatorial debates anyway, an advertising blitz is a more effective way for him to sow doubt about Talarico’s positions and values.”
Talarico accepted three debates; one in South Texas, the WFAA debate in Dallas, and a third one in Austin.
Republican campaign consultant Vinny Minchillo said a debate in such a competitive race, could provide Paxton some opportunities.
“Paxton’s past has been offered up to the public in great detail for years and in even greater detail during the primary, so you could make the case that the damage has been done. I believe people know and have processed the Paxton negatives and factored it into their calculus. That should give Paxton the opportunity to use a debate as a one-stop shop for Paxton to deliver a truckload of hits on Talarico. Hits that may be new news to a lot of voters. Paxton can also deliver the larger message of what is at stake if Republicans lose the Senate,” he explained.
“On the other hand,” Minchillo added, “a side-by-side debate feels like a better format for Talarico. He’s media savvy, presents well and feels like he has a little better ability to deliver the sound bite friendly zingers that would dominate the next day’s coverage.”
Recent U.S. Senate races in Texas have featured debates
Political debates give Texas voters the opportunity to candidates outside of carefully scripted talking points and slick campaign ads, answering questions, and defending their record.
Every U.S. Senate race dating back to 2002 has featured a debate before the general election. More recently, Colin Allred and Ted Cruz debated in 2024 and John Cornyn and M.J. Hegar in 2020.
In the competitive 2018 U.S. Senate race, Ted Cruz and Beto O’Rourke debated twice.
But Paxton has not traditionally participated in political debates.
WFAA could find no record of Paxton participating in any debates since first running for statewide office in 2014.
“Paxton clearly lacks the confidence to hold or gain support in an environment that is not totally scripted. More interesting to me, his team apparently agrees. They hid him at the Dallas mid-term convention, and he’s staying hidden,” said Matt Angle, Democratic consultant and founder of The Lone Star Project. “He and his team know that when the candidates are viewed side-by-side, Paxton will come across as the brother-in-law or son-in-law that nobody likes. Talarico comes across as the son, grandson, or friend you brag about.”
For weeks, multiple polls have shown Paxton trailing Talarico by a few points.
Though they are only a snapshot in time, these polls are the first time in decades that a Texas Democrat has led a Republican for a statewide office.
Early voting begins Oct. 19.
Election Day is Nov. 3.
