Federal

U.S. Senator

Vote for: 1
Term: 6 years
Candidates: 3
Election: Nov 3, 2026

What this office does: A U.S. senator is one of Texas's two members of the U.S. Senate, voting on federal laws, taxes and spending, treaties, and confirming federal judges and officials.

Candidates Compare by issue

Ken Paxton

Republican

The gist

Proposes federal tax deductions for health costs and home purchases.
Pledges to cut taxes and wasteful federal spending.
Supports finishing the border wall and deporting criminal immigrants.
Pledges to protect gun rights and oppose abortion.
Supports taking on drug and food companies over chronic illness.
Pledges lower taxes, fewer regulations and more energy production.
Supports a federal crypto framework such as the CLARITY Act.
Pledges faster federal disaster response with less red tape.

More about Ken

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Proposes federal tax deductions for health costs and home purchases.
Q&A: Meet the candidates running to represent Texas in the US Senate
Candidate questionnaire · Community Impact · Aug 21, 2026 · communityimpact.com
“would provide a $25,000 tax deduction for out-of-pocket healthcare expenses, a $50,000 deduction when purchasing a home”
Pledges to cut taxes and wasteful federal spending.
Issues | Ken Paxton for U.S. Senate
Campaign website · Ken Paxton campaign · kenpaxton.com
“a strong fiscal conservative who will fight to cut taxes and stop the wasteful spending”
Supports finishing the border wall and deporting criminal immigrants.
Issues | Ken Paxton for U.S. Senate
Campaign website · Ken Paxton campaign · kenpaxton.com
“Ken Paxton is running to help President Trump finish the border wall and protect our national sovereignty.”
Pledges to protect gun rights and oppose abortion.
Issues | Ken Paxton for U.S. Senate
Campaign website · Ken Paxton campaign · kenpaxton.com
“He will stand with President Trump to protect our gun rights, defend the unborn”
Supports taking on drug and food companies over chronic illness.
Issues | Ken Paxton for U.S. Senate
Campaign website · Ken Paxton campaign · kenpaxton.com
“Make America Healthy Again by taking on Big Pharma and Big Food, increasing transparency in our food and healthcare systems”
Pledges lower taxes, fewer regulations and more energy production.
Q&A: Meet the candidates running to represent Texas in the US Senate
Candidate questionnaire · Community Impact · Aug 21, 2026 · communityimpact.com
“fighting for lower taxes, reducing burdensome regulations, unleashing American energy production”
Supports a federal crypto framework such as the CLARITY Act.
Issues | Ken Paxton for U.S. Senate
Campaign website · Ken Paxton campaign · kenpaxton.com
“passing critical legislation like the CLARITY Act is key to giving innovators certainty to build and scale”
Pledges faster federal disaster response with less red tape.
Q&A: Meet the candidates running to represent Texas in the US Senate
Candidate questionnaire · Community Impact · Aug 21, 2026 · communityimpact.com
“In the Senate, I will ensure federal agencies respond quickly and cut unnecessary red tape that delays recovery.”

James Talarico

Democratic

The gist

Supports banning corporate PACs.
Proposes a cost-of-living tax cut paid for by the wealthy.
Pledges to take on drug and healthcare companies over prices.
Opposes data centers driving up utility costs.
Supports expanding FEMA's Pre-Disaster Mitigation Program eligibility.
Supports wider SBA loan access, higher wages and union protections.
Supports expanding career and technical education.

More about James

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Supports banning corporate PACs.
Q&A: Meet the candidates running to represent Texas in the US Senate
Candidate questionnaire · Community Impact · Aug 21, 2026 · communityimpact.com
“We should ban corporate PACs and get Big Money out of our politics”
Meet James Talarico
Campaign website · Talarico for Texas · jamestalarico.com
“I'm the only member of the Texas Legislature who has never taken corporate PAC money”
Proposes a cost-of-living tax cut paid for by the wealthy.
Q&A: Meet the candidates running to represent Texas in the US Senate
Candidate questionnaire · Community Impact · Aug 21, 2026 · communityimpact.com
“I will pass a cost-of-living tax cut and raise wages by making the billionaires and corporations pay their fair share.”
Pledges to take on drug and healthcare companies over prices.
Q&A: Meet the candidates running to represent Texas in the US Senate
Candidate questionnaire · Community Impact · Aug 21, 2026 · communityimpact.com
“I'll take on Big Pharma and the big healthcare companies to lower prices.”
Opposes data centers driving up utility costs.
Q&A: Meet the candidates running to represent Texas in the US Senate
Candidate questionnaire · Community Impact · Aug 21, 2026 · communityimpact.com
“I'll stop data centers from driving up utility costs.”
Supports expanding FEMA's Pre-Disaster Mitigation Program eligibility.
Q&A: Meet the candidates running to represent Texas in the US Senate
Candidate questionnaire · Community Impact · Aug 21, 2026 · communityimpact.com
“We should expand eligibility for FEMA's Pre-Disaster Mitigation Program to help fortify at-risk homes and businesses”
Supports wider SBA loan access, higher wages and union protections.
Q&A: Meet the candidates running to represent Texas in the US Senate
Candidate questionnaire · Community Impact · Aug 21, 2026 · communityimpact.com
“broaden eligibility for Small Business Administration loans ... raise wages, expand overtime eligibility, protect labor unions”
Supports expanding career and technical education.
Q&A: Meet the candidates running to represent Texas in the US Senate
Candidate questionnaire · Community Impact · Aug 21, 2026 · communityimpact.com
“promote worker-centered AI rules, and expand career and technical education”

Ted Brown

Libertarian

The gist

Pledges never to vote to raise taxes.
Supports cutting federal spending to curb inflation.
Supports ending all of President Trump's tariffs.
Opposes arresting and deporting small-business employees.
Opposes government-mandated age verification for internet use.
Opposes Flock and other public surveillance cameras.

More about Ted

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Pledges never to vote to raise taxes.
Ted Brown - Libertarian for U.S. Senator from Texas
Campaign website · Ted Brown campaign · tedbrown.org
“I will never vote to raise taxes.”
Supports cutting federal spending to curb inflation.
Q&A: Meet the candidates running to represent Texas in the US Senate
Candidate questionnaire · Community Impact · Aug 21, 2026 · communityimpact.com
“The federal deficit and national debt lead to inflation, so we must cut government spending.”
Supports ending all of President Trump's tariffs.
Q&A: Meet the candidates running to represent Texas in the US Senate
Candidate questionnaire · Community Impact · Aug 21, 2026 · communityimpact.com
“Congress must take action to end all Trump tariffs, which are paid by consumers.”
Opposes arresting and deporting small-business employees.
Q&A: Meet the candidates running to represent Texas in the US Senate
Candidate questionnaire · Community Impact · Aug 21, 2026 · communityimpact.com
“Stop arresting and deporting the employees of small businesses.”
Opposes government-mandated age verification for internet use.
Ted Brown - Libertarian for U.S. Senator from Texas
Campaign website · Ted Brown campaign · tedbrown.org
“I oppose government-mandated age limits on social media or other internet use.”
Opposes Flock and other public surveillance cameras.
Ted Brown - Libertarian for U.S. Senator from Texas
Campaign website · Ted Brown campaign · tedbrown.org
“I am also opposed to Flock or other CCTV cameras being installed all over public places to monitor our movements.”

Challengers are listed first and incumbents last; otherwise candidates appear in ballot order. The Gist does not rank, rate or endorse candidates. Only positions backed by a cited source are shown; 7 issues covered in this race.