What the Senate candidates said, on what matters to you
- Pick your issues and see what each Senate candidate said, and what others reported — every sentence links to where it was said.
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Texas U.S. Senate election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026
Free and nonpartisan · published by Information Superconductor, an independent, non-commercial project — who we are
Tick one or more topics above and press "Show me" to see what each candidate said about them.
Who is on the ballot for U.S. Senate
- Ted Brown — Libertarian
- Ken Paxton — Republican
- James Talarico — Democratic
Listed alphabetically. Source: the race page with every source
How to vote
- Election day: Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Polls are open 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Source: Texas Secretary of State
- Registration: The deadline to register was October 5, 2026. You can check whether you are registered with the state’s “Am I Registered?” lookup. Am I Registered? (Texas Secretary of State) Source: VoteTexas.gov (Texas Secretary of State)
- Early voting: In person from October 19 to October 30, 2026, at any early voting location in your county. Where’s my Polling Place? (Texas Secretary of State) Source: VoteTexas.gov (Texas Secretary of State)
- Where to vote: Find your polling place with the state’s lookup. Where’s my Polling Place? (Texas Secretary of State) Source: VoteTexas.gov (Texas Secretary of State)
- What ID to bring: Bring one of seven accepted photo IDs, such as a Texas driver license or a U.S. passport. It may be expired up to four years (any length if you are 70 or older), if it is otherwise valid. Source: VoteTexas.gov (Texas Secretary of State)
- No photo ID: Don’t have one of the seven accepted photo IDs and cannot reasonably get one? Fill out a Reasonable Impediment Declaration at the polls and show another document, such as a current utility bill, a bank statement, a government check or your voter registration certificate. Source: VoteTexas.gov (Texas Secretary of State)
- Voting by mail — who can: Only if you are 65 or older on election day; sick or disabled; expecting to give birth within three weeks before or after election day; away from your county during early voting and on election day; civilly committed under Chapter 841 of the Texas Health and Safety Code; or confined in jail but otherwise eligible. Source: VoteTexas.gov (Texas Secretary of State)
- Voting by mail — apply by: Your application must reach your county’s early voting clerk by October 23, 2026, by the close of regular business or 12 noon, whichever is later. Source: VoteTexas.gov (Texas Secretary of State)
- Voting by mail — ID number: Write ONE of these numbers on your mail-ballot application and, before sealing it, in the space provided on the carrier envelope: your Texas driver license, personal ID card or election ID certificate number; if DPS never issued you one of these numbers, the last four digits of your Social Security number; if you have neither, a statement that you have not been issued any of these numbers. Source: VoteTexas.gov (Texas Secretary of State)
- Voting by mail — sign the envelope: Put your marked ballot in the ballot envelope and seal it, put that in the carrier envelope, then seal the carrier envelope and sign it before you return it. Source: VoteTexas.gov (Texas Secretary of State)
- Voting by mail — return by: Your marked mail ballot must reach the Early Voting Clerk by 7:00 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, November 3, 2026, with these exceptions: if you applied with a mail-ballot application and mailed your ballot within the U.S., postmarked by 7:00 p.m. on November 3, it must arrive by 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 4; if you mailed it from overseas — after applying with a mail-ballot application, or as a non-military voter with a Federal Post Card Application — postmarked by 7:00 p.m. on November 3, it must arrive by Monday, November 9; if you are a military voter who applied with a Federal Post Card Application, it must arrive by Monday, November 9, from the U.S. or overseas, and no postmark is needed. Source: VoteTexas.gov (Texas Secretary of State)
More about each candidate
Links to official and published pages where you can look further. We do not rate them.
Ted Brown Libertarian
- Campaign money reports filed with the Federal Election Commission (FEC)
- Their own campaign's issues page (campaign site, in their own words)
Ken Paxton Republican
- Campaign money reports filed with the Federal Election Commission (FEC)
- Fact-checks about them (FactCheck.org)
- Their own campaign's issues page (campaign site, in their own words)
James Talarico Democratic
What they said, and what others reported
Prices and cost of living
Ted Brown Libertarian
Ken Paxton Republican
- Ken Paxton says "My top priorities are lowering costs, restoring the American Dream, and keeping Texas a safe place." own words
- ABC 7 Amarillo reports in a video (automatic captions) that Paxton points voters to his "Protecting the Texas Promise" agenda, which includes tax deductions for housing and health-care costs. (also under Housing) reported by others
James Talarico Democratic
- Texas Standard reports that Talarico's economic plan includes a $15-an-hour federal minimum wage and higher taxes on billionaires and corporations. reported by others
- CBS Texas reports in a video (automatic captions) that Talarico blamed billionaires for the affordability crisis and wants to rebuild unions and cancel medical debt. reported by others
Immigration and the border
Ted Brown Libertarian
Ken Paxton Republican
James Talarico Democratic
Abortion and reproductive health
Ken Paxton Republican
- Ken Paxton says "I am a strong supporter of IVF and pro-family policies that help Americans experience the wonders of parenthood," own words
- FOX 7 Austin reports that Ken Paxton has defended Texas' near-total abortion ban, including suing the federal government over emergency-room guidance. reported by others
James Talarico Democratic
Also see: Ted Brown's campaign issues page
Health care
Ted Brown Libertarian
Ken Paxton Republican
- FOX 7 Austin reports that Paxton's health plan proposes a medical deduction of up to $25,000 and a $5,000 wellness credit; the report also points to his record as Attorney General of legal action against drug companies and pharmacy benefit managers. reported by others
- FOX 7 Austin reports that Paxton said bureaucratic delays and a priority-based referral system made him wait three and a half days to see an eye doctor, and that he wished he could have been in a private system where he would have been treated immediately. reported by others
Democracy and elections
Ted Brown Libertarian
Ken Paxton Republican
- Ken Paxton says "Free and fair elections are a cornerstone of a thriving republic, and with the authority granted to my office by the Legislature, we will stop at nothing to uncover and stop any illegal voting activity," own words
- Houston Public Media reports that in 2024 Paxton helped oust judges on Texas' highest criminal court who had prevented him from prosecuting election crimes on his own, and that two weeks before the 2026 primary he announced an election fraud tip line. reported by others
Also see: what was reported about James Talarico on democracy and elections
Crime and policing
Also see: what was reported about Ken Paxton on crime and policing · what was reported about James Talarico on crime and policing
Jobs
Ted Brown Libertarian
Ken Paxton Republican
James Talarico Democratic
Housing
Ken Paxton Republican
- Ken Paxton says "I’ll fight to ensure Texas is a place where families are safe, they can buy a home, raise their children, and live a healthy life without struggling to make ends meet." own words
- ABC 7 Amarillo reports in a video (automatic captions) that Paxton points voters to his "Protecting the Texas Promise" agenda, which includes tax deductions for housing and health-care costs. (also under Prices) reported by others
Also see: Ted Brown's campaign issues page · what was reported about James Talarico on housing
Corruption
Ted Brown Libertarian
- Ted Brown speaks of a "corrupt two-party system." own words
- Ted Brown says "I’m not going to be beholden to any special interest groups or to corrupt party leaders like the other candidates are because I just don’t have any goodies to offer. I’m not going to offer government subsidies to these people." own words
James Talarico Democratic
War and conflicts abroad
Ted Brown Libertarian
Ken Paxton Republican
- Ken Paxton says "But the reality is, when you've got a country that's trying to build nuclear weapons, that is willing to use them, and that has demonstrated terrorist activity for decades, 40 or 50 years, you’ve got to deal with that, or eventually it comes to you," own words
- Ken Paxton says "I think the president is doing his best to get in and out. Bush was into nation-building, a very different approach to things. I do not think that's Trump's idea here or his endeavor," own words
James Talarico Democratic
- James Talarico says "I will use every bit of this country’s financial and diplomatic leverage to end the death and destruction in Gaza, which means banning offensive weapons to the Netanyahu government and ensuring that we have candidates all across this country who are going to speak the truth about this issue," own words
- James Talarico says "Well, I was 12 years old when 9-11 happened, so I know the importance of keeping this nation safe. As a millennial, I also saw how military disasters like the Iraq War robbed this nation of young lives, of billions of dollars, and of our moral standing in the world. I worry that we’re about to repeat those same mistakes." own words
Energy bills
James Talarico Democratic
- James Talarico says "I’ll stop data centers from driving up utility costs." own words
- James Talarico's campaign plan says "Provide emergency relief for Texas families struggling to pay their energy bills: Expand funding and eligibility for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) …" own words
Also see: Ted Brown's campaign issues page · Ken Paxton's campaign issues page
Compare all topics side by side · The race page with every source
About this page: sources, order and topics with nothing yet
"Own words" = the candidate said it; "reported by others" = a news outlet or someone else said it about the candidate.
In the topic answers the order of the candidates is shuffled for each visitor; the ballot list is alphabetical. Nothing here is rated or advised; the sentences are our summary of the linked sources.
Topics where we have nothing yet
- We have not found a Ted Brown statement on abortion and reproductive health yet — here is what Ted Brown has said on: Prices and cost of living, Immigration and the border, Health care, Democracy and elections, Crime and policing, Jobs, Corruption, War and conflicts abroad
- We have not found a Ted Brown statement on housing yet — here is what Ted Brown has said on: Prices and cost of living, Immigration and the border, Health care, Democracy and elections, Crime and policing, Jobs, Corruption, War and conflicts abroad
- We have not found a Ted Brown statement on energy bills yet — here is what Ted Brown has said on: Prices and cost of living, Immigration and the border, Health care, Democracy and elections, Crime and policing, Jobs, Corruption, War and conflicts abroad
- No FactCheck.org page found yet for Ted Brown.
- We have not found a Ken Paxton statement on energy bills yet — here is what Ken Paxton has said on: Prices and cost of living, Immigration and the border, Abortion and reproductive health, Health care, Democracy and elections, Crime and policing, Jobs, Housing, Corruption, War and conflicts abroad
"Nothing yet" means nothing in the sources our agent may read; it does not mean the candidate has no position.