Talarico raises over $3M in 24 hours after Paxton beats Cornyn

Democratic U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico is flexing his fundraising muscle, as his campaign secured more than $3 million in the 24 hours following Republican Ken Paxton'srunoff victory over Sen. John Cornyn.

Talarico's campaign noted that this time frame marked the largest fundraising day for Talarico.

“In just 24 hours, working people from every corner of Texas have come together to shatter grassroots fundraising records and send a message that Texas deserves better than corrupt Ken Paxton," Talarico said in a statement. Together, we’re going to unrig our economy, raise our pay, and drive down the cost of gas, groceries, housing, and healthcare.

As Talarico's campaign noted, this fundraising took place on the three-year anniversary of Paxton's 2023 impeachment by the Texas House. Paxton — who was the third official in the state's history to be impeached — was acquitted by the Texas Senate months later.

Talarico’s fundraising surge gives Republicans a Paxton problem

Talarico is already causing heartburn for Republicans, outpacing Paxton on the money front; NBC News reports he has raised more than $40 million so far, while Paxton had taken in about $7.6 million with $2.3 million cash on hand as of May 6.

However, Talarico had spent the majority of his funds on the highly contested Democratic primary, in which he secured the Democratic nomination over U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, among others.

Both Politico and the New York Times have described Paxton as a weaker fundraiser, especially compared with Cornyn, who pulled in more than $26 million, while Paxton fell well short of the $20 million he once said he’d need to win the primary.

Paxton, however, has been buoyed by Lone Star Liberty PAC, which has spent about $17 million on ads supporting him during the primary and runoff, according to NBC.

The two are set to face off against each other and other party candidates on Tuesday, Nov. 3, during the general election.

Mateo Rosiles is the Texas Connect reporter for USA TODAY and its regional papers in Texas. Got a news tip for him? Email him at [email protected].