A major Republican group has committed more than $51 million in advertising to support Ken Paxton in the closely contested Texas Senate race, marking a significant shift in the party’s approach as it aims to retain control of the U.S. Senate. The Texas PAC, affiliated with the Senate Leadership Fund—the main super PAC aligned with Senate Republican leaders—made the ad buy public on Friday.
This recent influx of funding supplements over $23 million in advertising expenses already spent by several other Republican groups on Paxton’s behalf since September 1. Together, these expenditures have given Paxton and his allies a roughly five-to-one advantage in ad spending compared to Democrat James Talarico and his supporters, according to data from AdImpact, a media-tracking firm. Earlier in the race, Democrats had maintained a substantial spending edge.
Paxton, the Republican nominee, had spent much of the campaign as a financial underdog following his victory over incumbent Senator John Cornyn in the primary, where he was backed by former President Donald Trump. The primary victory had initially raised concerns within the GOP, as some party figures viewed Cornyn as the stronger general election candidate. This dynamic delayed significant Republican outside spending in the race. However, Paxton’s improving prospects against Talarico appear to have spurred a coordinated financial response from the GOP establishment.
The roughly $75 million in total Republican advertising does not include a recent $10 million ad buy disclosed by former President Trump’s super PAC or more than $2 million in voter contact efforts from Elon Musk’s super PAC. The Senate Leadership Fund’s head, Alex Latcham, described the latest ad purchase as reaffirming their “commitment to maintaining the Republican majority.”
Talarico, a Texas state representative and Democrat, has been a strong fundraiser, collecting over $54 million in 2026 compared to Paxton’s nearly $4 million. During the summer months from June through August, Talarico and his allies outspent Paxton’s camp sevenfold, although outside spending in the race was limited on both sides until recently.
The sudden surge in Republican spending is expected to increase pressure on Senate Majority PAC, the principal super PAC supporting Senate Democrats, to commit funds in the Texas race. The Democratic group has so far refrained from making large-scale investments in the state despite earlier signals that it might do so. Lauren French, a spokesperson for Senate Majority PAC, stated Friday that the group is “watching the race closely” but indicated that the high level of Republican spending could signal trouble for Paxton’s campaign.
As Election Day approaches, both campaigns and outside groups continue to adjust their strategy and spending in response to shifting dynamics, underscoring the competitiveness of the Texas Senate contest.