Texas Is Not Turning Blue. Ken Paxton Just Has to Close the Deal

Trump went to Corpus Christi and Lubbock with oil, energy and the border. James Talarico's record on all three is the case for a Paxton finish.

By Clara Hughes

Donald Trump does not spend his last week before a midterm in states he thinks are safe. On Tuesday he was in Texas twice in one day: a rally at the Port of Corpus Christi in the afternoon and another at the Lubbock Memorial Civic Center that evening. That tells you how seriously the White House is taking the Senate fight between Republican Ken Paxton and Democrat James Talarico. It should also tell Texas conservatives something. The other side wants this seat badly, and one week out, wanting it is no longer enough for anyone. The numbers are close. They are not a verdict Let's be honest about the polls, because our readers deserve honesty. The latest Emerson College/Nexstar survey (Oct. 17–19, 1,000 likely voters, ±3.1 points) has Talarico at 48% and Paxton at 46%. Libertarian Ted Brown takes 1% and 5% are undecided. When undecided voters are pushed, it becomes 49–48 for Talarico. An N+ Univision/YouGov poll of registered voters puts Talarico ahead 50–45. The RealClearPolitics average, as cited by the New York