Paxton and Talarico tussle for Texas Senate seat as Trump campaigns virtually

Ken Paxton, the former Attorney General of Texas, and James Talarico, a Democrat and state lawmaker, are locked in a fierce battle for the U.S. Senate seat in Texas. The race has become a barometer for voter discontent with President Donald Trump and his loyalists within the Republican Party. Both candidates have been making closing arguments ahead of early voting, which is nearing completion in several states with early balloting totals approaching 50 million.

Talarico has criticized Paxton as an emblem of corruption and a senator who puts money in his own pocket rather than the constituents. Paxton, who won the GOP primary with Trump's backing, countered by portraying Talarico as too liberal and as a lackey for Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer. Talarico invoked the biblical tale of David and Goliath, comparing himself to the shepherd who slays the giant, and Elon Musk, the world's richest man, as his slingshot.

He urged Texans to support him in their fight against what he perceives as a rotten political system. Talarico's campaign has received financial support from Musk.

Meanwhile, President Trump shifted his focus from in-person rallies to virtual events, participating in telerallies in states like Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York, Michigan, and Florida. Trump's political action committee (PAC) has organized these calls to galvanize voter support. As early voting surges, Trump has reshuffled his travel schedule, rescheduling rallies in Iowa and Kansas to hold them on Sunday.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, campaigning in Virginia, criticized Republicans for breaking promises and pledged to hold them accountable, specifically targeting Pentagon Chief Pete Hegseth for his actions. On the other side, House Speaker Mike Johnson delivered a speech in Michigan, framing Democrats as Marxists and communists and warning of their potential to commit atrocities.