On an election night handing Republicans a beating in critical House and Senate races across the country, the GOP fell short even in once deep-red Texas after a campaign run on a go-to outrage tactic: fearmongering over the rights of transgender people.
asserted
GOP → fall → people
Democrats escaped the political wilderness in the Longhorn State on Tuesday night, when Democrat James Talarico defeated Republican Ken Paxton — despite the far-right attorney general’s relentless attacks on the trans community and his party’s claims that Democrats would enforce so-called “transgenderism” as a kind of ideology.
uncertain
Democrats → escape → ideology
The massive upset was paired with a victory for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gina Hinojosa, who beat Republican incumbent Gov. Greg Abbott shortly after the Senate race was called for Talarico.
asserted
race → pair → Talarico
In Dallas, Paxton voter Rachel Fuller told The Intercept she was alarmed by what she believed was Talarico’s support for “far-fetched” ideas, like “giving children the right to decide — and making parents, calling them abusive for not letting them have transgender changes.”
asserted
them → tell → changes
Her comments suggested some of the $78 million Republicans spent on anti-trans attack advertisements in Texas were working.
uncertain
Republicans → suggest → Texas
But they weren’t enough to help Republicans hold onto power in Texas, which hasn’t had a Democratic senator since the 1990s.
asserted
which → help → 1990s
The ads made up almost half of all ad spending in support of Paxton, according to an analysis from Puck using data from AdImpact.
uncertain
ads → make → AdImpact
By and large, the ads spread blatant misinformation about Talarico’s record.
asserted
ads → spread → record
One infamous $29 million ad created by Texas PAC, a political action committee primarily funded by billionaire Elon Musk, claimed that Talarico supported jailing parents who did not support gender-affirming surgeries for minors.
asserted
who → create → minors
“Every mom in Texas should be worried about James Talarico putting parents in jail if they do not support surgically transitioning their children,” a woman in the ad warned ominously.
asserted
woman → worry → ad
That attack, which according to Puck received 1.9 billion views as of October, does seem to have caught the attention of Texans — even with voters who ultimately supported Talarico.
uncertain
who → accord → Talarico
Julius Ishola, a canvasser for Black TOP, an operation under Texas Organizing Project that targets Black voters, told The Intercept he had frequently heard Black voters raise concerns that Talarico intended to jail parents.
asserted
Talarico → target → parents
“I’ve been getting a lot of bad feedback regarding James Talarico,” Ishola told The Intercept, saying many voters cited concerns of “gender sex change and possibly prosecuting parents who go against that … and allowing transgenders into female restrooms.”
uncertain
who → get → restrooms
As a state legislator, Talarico fought bans on transgender athletes’ participation in youth sports, and famously said that God is “nonbinary,” earning him ridicule from Republicans, who nicknamed the Senate candidate “Talafreako.”
asserted
who → fight → candidate
In the face of those attacks this cycle, Talarico appeared to backtrack on the issue, telling Fox News in September that he supported bans on transgender children’s participation in sports if it risks “safety or fairness” — without clarifying what that meant.
asserted
that → appear → what
His wavering does not seem to have reached many voters.
asserted
wavering → waver → voters
“I voted Republican all the way.
asserted
I → vote → ?
And that’s my fear of Talarico going in,” said Carol Billings, a voter who cast her ballot for Paxton at the Living Waters Church in Dallas County.
asserted
who → ’ → County
Like Fuller, she cited her perception of the Democratic nominee’s trans policies as a major source for concern.
asserted
she → cite → concern
Still, many voters in Black districts, which were vital to Talarico’s victory, barely mentioned Talarico.
asserted
which → mention → Talarico
“At the end of the day,” said Dallas Jones, a Houston-based Democratic political strategist whose firm focuses on African American voter engagement and backed Talarico, “the results show that people care more about their everyday lives than they do about trans Americans who just want to get by.”
asserted
who → say → Americans
Some voters told The Intercept they were far more concerned with issues of affordability.
asserted
they → tell → affordability
“ I just hope we can get these gas prices down,” said Darryl Moore, a Fort Worth voter.
asserted
Moore → hope → ?
This is a developing story and will be updated.
asserted
This → develop → ?
Akela Lacy reported from Dallas, Texas.
asserted
Lacy → report → Dallas
Midterms 2026
Michigan Senate Race Closes as a Referendum on Israel Policy
asserted
Race → close → Policy
The fate of Abdul El-Sayed will either herald an ascendant left flank among Democrats or trigger the party’s revanchist centrist instinct.
asserted
fate → herald → instinct
Midterms 2026
Polls Close in Maine as Democrats Make Final Push to Oust Sen. Susan Collins
The longtime Republican incumbent is at risk of losing her seat to Troy Jackson, a progressive Democrat who entered the race just over three months ago.
asserted
who → close → race
Trump Scrambles to Halt Military Aid to Israel to Deprive El-Sayed of a Talking Point
In a Fox News interview, Trump said the U.S. will stop giving Israel weapons for free because Abdul El-Sayed keeps talking about it.
asserted
Sayed → scramble → it
The Aporia
