A high-profile election analyst said Texas state Rep. James Talarico (D) may give Democrats a real shot at finally winning a statewide race in Texas given the electoral weakness of his opponent, state Attorney General Ken Paxton (R). "Since 1994, I've gotten call after call virtually every day from Texans in politics on the Democratic side, saying, 'This is the year. Advertisement AdvertisementSabato argued that while Talarico was a "great candidate," the real opportunity for a win hinged on Paxton's political liabilities. Advertisement AdvertisementPaxton has raised $9.2 million, according to campaign finance records, which paled in comparison to Talarico's $68 million — including a record $30 million raised in the second quarter of this year. Paxton was indicted on state securities fraud charges in 2015 and was impeached by the Republican-controlled Texas House in 2023 in a 121-33 vote before being acquitted by the state Senate.