Texans vote in most expensive Senate race in US history

What the report says

Texas voters began casting ballots on November 3 in a US Senate race between Republican Ken Paxton and Democrat James Talarico that Al Jazeera says has already become the most expensive in American history. The article said at least $573.2 million had been spent on the contest, combining campaign fundraising and outside political spending, as the state’s Senate race drew national attention during the midterm elections in Houston and across Texas.

Al Jazeera reported that Talarico had raised more directly for his campaign than Paxton, while Paxton benefited from far larger outside support. The article highlighted spending tied to billionaire Elon Musk, including major contributions routed through political committees supporting Paxton. It also noted that super PAC money has played a central role because these groups can spend freely to back candidates, even if they cannot coordinate with them directly.

The race has been framed by both campaigns as a fight over Texas’s political identity and direction. Talarico has emphasized corruption allegations surrounding Paxton and argued that the campaign shows the influence of wealthy donors over ordinary voters. Paxton has cast Talarico as out of step with Texas conservatism and linked the election to broader Republican themes about the state’s future.

The spending record matters because it underscores how deeply money, national donors and partisan symbolism are shaping one of the country’s closest-watched contests. Al Jazeera said many voters it spoke with were uneasy about the scale of the spending and focused instead on affordability, the economy and the Trump administration’s policies.