Texas Senate Race Tightly Contested as Trump Shifts to Virtual Rallies

The race for the U.S. Senate seat in Texas has become a key indicator of voter sentiment regarding President Donald Trump’s leadership. Republican Ken Paxton and Democrat James Talarico are conducting final weekend campaigns in a contest that was not initially expected to be so close. This election is now viewed as a measure of frustration with the president and his party.

Paxton, the state attorney general who defeated Sen. John Cornyn earlier this year with Trump's support, spoke in Fort Worth on Saturday morning. He warned against restoring Democratic control of Congress. "The left in this country keeps getting more and more radical," Paxton said. He described the election as going "down to the wire" and framed it as a rejection of Democratic ideas.

Talarico, a state lawmaker, was scheduled to hold a rally in Houston later Saturday. The closing push in Texas coincides with early voting nearing its end in several states. Early balloting totals approached 50 million heading into the weekend.

President Trump stepped away from in-person rallies on Saturday in favor of virtual events. He spent the morning and early afternoon at a golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida. He was scheduled to call into six tele-rallies. This marks a departure from his usual rally speeches, which often last more than 90 minutes. On Sunday, Trump is set to hold rallies in Iowa and Kansas that were previously rescheduled.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries campaigned in Virginia's 2nd Congressional District with former Rep. Elaine Luria. Luria is in a rematch with Republican Rep. Jen Kiggans, who defeated her four years ago. Jeffries pledged to fight for an affordable America and hold votes to reverse Republican healthcare cuts. He also promised to pass voting rights laws and limit Trump's military actions on Iran.

Jeffries specifically targeted Pete Hegseth, the Pentagon chief. Hegseth has faced criticism from both parties for his overhaul of military leadership and the dismissal of top generals. "In the majority, one of the first things we are going to do is run Pete Hegseth out of town," Jeffries said. His comment drew the loudest response during his 11-minute speech. The southeast Virginia district is one of the most competitive on a House map where Democrats aim to take at least 60 seats.

Paxton has focused on portraying Talarico as a frontman for a far-left agenda led by figures like Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. "I’m not exaggerating when I say, if we lose Texas, we lose America," Paxton said. He urged Republicans to match the early voting turnout of Democrats and asked them to "Pray for our Texas" and "Pray for me."

In Michigan, Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed and former primary rival Haley Stevens were expected to campaign together with Rep. James Clyburn on Sunday. However, that plan is in doubt. Stevens renewed her criticism of El-Sayed, leading his campaign to stop inviting her to events. An adviser for Clyburn said the congressman was still inviting both to church on Sunday morning. Stevens has demanded that El-Sayed condemn an ad linking U.S. support for Israel to rising grocery prices and address concerns about his past rhetoric.