Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico used his final campaign rally before Election Day to compare Republican rival Ken Paxton to an irritating bar customer, drawing cheers from supporters gathered in downtown Austin.
The 37-year-old state representative delivered the speech on Monday night at Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater, where a large crowd of Democrats assembled ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
Speaking alongside Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gina Hinojosa, Talarico used a familiar barroom scenario to describe what he considered Paxton’s conduct.
He told the audience that most bars had regular customers who bought drinks for others, checked on people drinking alone and shared conversations over food and drinks.
However, he said there was always one customer who made everyone uncomfortable.
“He’s loud. He’s obnoxious. He makes everyone feel uncomfortable.
He hears you say your name to the bartender, and then he adds his drink to your tab when you’re not looking,” Talarico said.
He then identified Paxton as the person he was describing, prompting cheers from the crowd.
“And I don’t know about y’all, but I am done picking up his tab!” he added.
Democrat Accuses Paxton of Corruption
Talarico also described Paxton as “the most corrupt politician in Texas history” during his remarks.
The Republican attorney general has faced several corruption-related scandals and was impeached by members of his own party.
President Donald Trump endorsed Paxton in the Republican Senate contest over incumbent Senator John Cornyn.
Talarico also brought up billionaire Elon Musk’s financial involvement in the contest, alleging that Musk had contributed at least $168 million to support Paxton’s campaign.
Addressing his own political ambitions, the Democratic candidate said he wanted to represent Texans who could not afford political influence.
“I want to be a senator for every Texan who can’t afford one,” he said.
Talarico Calls for Bigger Dreams for Texas
Beyond his criticism of Paxton, Talarico devoted part of his speech to describing his vision for the state and its future.
He recalled lessons from his mother, who taught him that Texas was beautiful, bold and, above all, big.
The candidate referenced the state’s reputation for big hair, generous hearts and ambitious dreams before highlighting its sporting and musical achievements.
He named the Dallas Cowboys, San Antonio Spurs and Texas Longhorns among the state’s recognised sporting institutions.
He also mentioned musicians Willie Nelson, Selena and Beyoncé, noting that their popularity was so widespread that they were recognised by their first names alone.
“This won’t happen overnight, but a giant state deserves giant dreams,” Talarico told supporters.
Democrats Await Election Results as Polls Show Talarico Ahead
The rally came as Democrats prepared for an election that could determine whether their party ends a 32-year period without winning a statewide contest in Texas.
Late-breaking polls showed Talarico leading Paxton by seven percentage points ahead of Tuesday’s midterm elections.
Democrats also need to gain four Senate seats to take control of the chamber.
Despite the polling figures, supporters at the Austin rally expressed a mixture of optimism and concern about the outcome.
David Marchman, a 67-year-old retiree from Austin, told the Daily Mail that he was hopeful but not taking the race for granted.
He said turnout could become a major factor on Election Day but believed there was considerable enthusiasm behind Talarico’s campaign.
Marchman also said he felt more confident about Talarico’s prospects than he had about Democratic Representative Beto O’Rourke’s 2018 Senate campaign against Republican Ted Cruz.
O’Rourke came within 2.6 percentage points of defeating Cruz, although polls at the time continued to show the Republican incumbent ahead.
Young Supporters Predict a Close Contest
Among the attendees were Maggie Theis, an 18-year-old freshman at the University of Texas at Austin, and her friend Ben Webb, 19, who also studies at the university and works for a state legislator.
Theis said she had been following the Senate race as part of her studies and expected the contest to be extremely close.
She described the election as likely to be a closely fought battle.
Webb, however, expressed greater confidence in Talarico’s chances, pointing to the difference between the Democrat’s polling position and O’Rourke’s position during the 2018 contest.
“In this election, Talarico has been consistently ahead,” Webb said.
“I think he’s going to pull it off.”
Supporters Prepare to Celebrate or Drown Their Sorrows
Webb also responded to Talarico’s barroom comparison of Paxton, suggesting that supporters were already preparing for a night of drinking once the results became clear.
“Win or lose, we booze,” he told the Daily Mail.
He explained that a Talarico victory would give him a night worth remembering, while a Paxton victory would leave him hoping to forget the evening.
The comments reflected the contrasting expectations among supporters who gathered at Stubb’s for Talarico’s final campaign appearance before voters headed to the polls.
