ELON MUSK BACKS SPENDING AGAINST JAMES TALARICO

Spending estimates put outside expenditure backed by Republican leaders and Elon Musk at more than $158 million in the Texas US Senate race against Democrat James Talarico. Talarico is running against Republican Ken Paxton. At a rally in Texas on Thursday, Talarico compared his campaign with the biblical story of David and Goliath. “You are my slingshot,” he told supporters. “We are going up against our own Goliaths,” he added, without naming Musk in those remarks.

Talarico, a state representative and seminarian, has framed the contest as a struggle between wealthy interests and other voters, rather than between the political left and right. His campaign has raised record sums and has outpaced Paxton’s in direct fundraising. Outside groups supporting Paxton have run advertisements across Texas. Paxton has faced questions about corruption and was impeached by fellow Republicans in the Texas legislature. He was later acquitted.

A Talarico victory would make him the first Democrat to win a statewide office in Texas in more than 30 years. The result will also help determine which party controls the US Senate during the final two years of President Donald Trump’s term. Senate control would affect the administration’s ability to pass legislation and the extent of congressional investigations. Talarico’s fundraising and the outside spending supporting Paxton have made the contest one of the country’s most expensive Senate races.