Democrat James Talarico targets Elon Musk at rally: ‘Texas is not for sale’
The Senate candidate denounced opponent Ken Paxton, calling out corruption allegations and support from Musk James Talarico, the Democratic candidate for the US Senate in Texas, has taken aim at Elon Musk, warning that the tech mogul is trying to buy political influence and declaring: “Texas is not for sale.” Talarico held a campaign rally on Friday at the University of Texas at Austin, packing an auditorium at his…
Key points
- James Talarico told a University of Texas rally that Elon Musk is trying to buy the Senate seat for Ken Paxton.
- Federal filings show Musk gave $158m to the Senate Leadership Fund, which transferred the same amount to a pro-Paxton super PAC.
- Talarico's campaign says it raised $64m from July through September, more than triple Paxton's total.
James Talarico, the Democratic candidate for the US Senate in Texas, used a campaign rally on Friday at the University of Texas at Austin to attack Elon Musk, saying the tech billionaire is trying to buy political influence in the state. The rally filled an auditorium at his alma mater with hundreds of students and supporters.
Talarico is running against Texas attorney general Ken Paxton, a staunch ally of Donald Trump, in a race seen as one of the most closely watched in next month's midterm elections. Democrats are seeking their first statewide win in Texas since 1994.
Attacks on Paxton and Musk
Talarico called Paxton the most corrupt politician in the state's history, citing his impeachment by his own party over corruption accusations and his public divorce. "I have a legislative record; Ken Paxton has a criminal record," Talarico said.
Talarico said Musk is almost single-handedly bankrolling efforts to install Paxton in the Senate, and blamed him for attack ads, mailers and text messages against him. According to federal filings, Musk contributed $158m to the Senate Leadership Fund, which transferred the same amount to Texas PAC, a Republican super PAC supporting Paxton.
Texas is not for sale.
— James Talarico
Fundraising and the final stretch
Talarico's campaign says it raised $64m from July through September, more than triple Paxton's total, with 97% of donations under $100 each. He told the crowd that super PACs and billionaire donors are spending $200m to defeat his grassroots campaign.
The rally followed a turbulent month that included Talarico falling ill with the flu and a debunked online rumour that he had checked into a mental health facility. Early voting began on 19 October, and a RealClearPolitics average of polls from 6 to 19 October put Talarico ahead by 1.8 percentage points.
