Democrat James Talarico wins election to U.S. Senate from Texas

Democrat James Talarico won election Tuesday to the U.S. Senate representing Texas, defeating Republican Ken Paxton. Talarico’s victory represents the first time a Democrat has won a statewide office in Texas since 1994, a shakeup for a state long dominated by Republicans. The outcome boosts Democrats as they look to retake control of the Senate. A seminary student and state representative, Talarico focused on bringing down everyday costs and revisiting corruption allegations against Paxton, a state attorney general. Paxton, who had President Donald Trump’s endorsement, said Talarico’s progressive stances on social issues were out of step with Texas. The Associated Press declared Talarico the winner at 11:03 p.m. EST.