Democrat James Talarico defeated Texas Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton on Tuesday, according to a race call from the Associated Press.
The result represents a Democratic victory that would end a more than three-decade streak of Republican wins in Texas statewide elections.
RELATED STORY | 2026 midterm election results: Key races for Senate, House and governor
The race was among the most closely watched contests of the 2026 midterm elections, as Democrats sought to gain the seats needed to take control of the Senate and Republicans worked to defend their majority.
In his victory speech, Talarico took aim at billionaire Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, who's super PAC spent heaps of cash to back Paxton in the race.
"I'm reminded from scripture of the shepherd boy who goes up against a giant," he said. "For 40 days, Goliath teases and taunts. On the day of the fight, he shows up in full armor. He's carrying so many weapons he needs someone else to carry his shield. In this race we went up against our own Goliath's — the richest man in the world, the most powerful man in the world, and the entire Washington, D.C., establishment."
"David wasn't as big or as strong as Goliath," Talarico told a crowd of supporters. "He didn't have as many weapons. But he had hope, he had faith, and he had a slingshot. You were my slingshot. The people of Texas were my slingshot."
Paxton, who was endorsed by President Donald Trump, entered the general election after defeating U.S. Sen. John Cornyn in the Republican primary runoff. He campaigned on conservative priorities, including border security, immigration enforcement and opposition to Democratic policies.
Talarico, a state representative from the Austin area and former middle school teacher, sought to appeal to voters concerned about the cost of living, health care and housing. He also criticized wealthy donors' influence in politics and presented himself as a candidate who could appeal to voters beyond the Democratic Party's traditional base.
The outcome will have implications beyond Texas as Senate control remains a central question of the midterm elections.
