'Republican Stronghold' Texas Emerges as a Battleground in the Midterm Elections

[Financial News] Texas has emerged as the biggest battleground in the U.S. midterm elections scheduled for November 3 (local time).
The race for Texas's U.S. Senate seat is unfolding as an extremely close contest. If the Democratic Party reclaims the seat after failing to win a statewide election for more than 30 years, it is expected to be remembered as an event that shakes up the U.S. political landscape.
According to foreign media reports on the 5th, James Talarico, a 37-year-old Democratic state representative running for the U.S. Senate in Texas, is running neck and neck with or ahead of Ken Paxton, the 63-year-old Texas attorney general, in various polls.
Recent surveys also show a tightly contested race. In a poll released on the 27th of last month by Texas Public Opinion Research (TPOR), Talarico led Paxton, 48% to 42%, by 6 percentage points. A University of Texas–Texas Politics Project poll showed Talarico at 42% and Paxton at 39%, while an Emerson College poll found Paxton with 47% support and Talarico with 46%.
Foreign media outlets have also described the race as too close to call. The Cook Political Report classified the Texas Senate race as a “Toss Up.”
President Donald Trump has personally stepped in to support Paxton amid the close race. Appearing on Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick's podcast on the 2nd, Trump warned that "Texas will become a disaster" if Talarico is elected. Trump also said that a Democratic takeover of Texas could bring about serious changes across U.S. politics.
Concern is growing within the Republican Party as well. Republican strategist Karl Rove recently argued on the radio that Trump would need to spend a huge amount of money to help Paxton win.
For Democrats, winning a seat in Republican-leaning Texas would make it easier to secure a majority in the Senate. Republicans currently hold 53 Senate seats, compared with 47 for Democrats, making them the majority party. Democrats must flip at least four seats in competitive states to gain a majority.
Texas is also significant because it has been a key Republican stronghold without a Democratic U.S. senator since 1993.
Analysts say the state's changing political landscape is also playing a role. Its population has become more diverse, with Hispanics accounting for about 40% of the total, while metropolitan areas and suburbs around Dallas, Houston, Austin and San Antonio continue to grow. Young people, highly educated professionals, and independent and moderate voters are increasing particularly in the suburbs.

[email protected] Kang Myeong-yeon Reporter