Gov

General Election

Tuesday, Nov 3· 38 days

U.S. SenateTexas

Open Texas Senate seat after Cornyn's runoff loss

After Talarico won the Democratic primary, Paxton beat Cornyn in the Republican runoff for the open Class II seat. Brown is the printed Libertarian candidate; four write-ins are certified, and September polls of registered and likely voters gave Talarico 50-44, 46.4-45.2 and 47-46 leads.

Issues

7 issues · 7 candidates · every claim sourced

Taxes, Costs, and Economic Opportunity

Central to the race

Congress has constitutional authority to tax, spend, borrow, and regulate interstate commerce. The live policy choices include federal tax rates, spending, trade rules, and programs that affect household costs and economic opportunity.

The data behind the debate

How does Texas household income compare nationally?

$79,721Texas
−1883.0 United States
7 of 7 on record

Avery Ayers

Supports competition, American agriculture and resilient supply chains, and promotes homeownership and housing supply; identifies energy, health care, transportation, taxes, small businesses, Social Security and Medicare as household-affordability concerns.

Avery Ayers for U.S. Senate — Affordability & Texas Kitchen Table ↗

Ted Brown

Supports repealing the federal income tax and abolishing the Internal Revenue Service, with spending cuts to reduce the size of the federal government; also opposes tariffs that raise consumer prices and supports restoring congressional control over trade policy.

Ted Brown for U.S. Senate — Platform ↗

Jade Simmons

Prioritizes economic opportunity through support for small businesses and working families.

Jade Simmons for U.S. Senate — FAQs ↗

Bradford "Brad" Hall

Supports requiring large new electricity loads to fund their incremental grid and interconnection costs, making rate treatment public, and tying tax incentives to measurable jobs and revenue above their public cost, with review dates and published recipients.

Bradford Hall for U.S. Senate — Public position ledger ↗
ZM

Zul Mohamed

Supports a federal economy policy that reduces unnecessary barriers for small businesses, expands access to capital, strengthens competition, protects consumers and workers, and closes tax loopholes that allow very large fortunes to avoid obligations ordinary workers cannot avoid.

Zul Mohamed for Senate — Building an Economy That Rewards Work, Innovation, and Accountability ↗

James Talarico

In coverage

Supports lowering household costs through stronger competition, expanded tax credits for working families, a higher federal minimum wage, lower housing and prescription costs, and repeal of tariffs that raise prices; he also proposes requiring AI data centers to fund their own energy infrastructure.

✓ Track record — what they've actually done

Served as House sponsor of SB 2835, which authorizes municipalities to permit qualifying apartment buildings with a single stairway.

House sponsor · 2025 legislative session · Enacted; effective 2025-09-01.

Talarico for Texas — Taxes & Cost of Living ↗

Ken Paxton

In coverage

Supports cutting taxes and federal spending, removing regulations he says raise costs for energy companies, and using federal policy to expand American manufacturing and jobs while reducing household costs.

✓ Track record — what they've actually done

Launched a statewide investigation of nearly 1,000 Texas cities, requesting financial documents to enforce municipal budget-transparency and tax-increase rules.

Texas attorney general · 2025-12-09 · Investigation launched; document requests and review described as ongoing in the cited release.

Ken Paxton for U.S. Senate — Issues ↗

Immigration and Border Policy

Central to the race

Federal law governs admission, removal, and naturalization, and Congress has broad authority over immigration policy. The policy stakes are how Congress funds and structures border enforcement, detention, legal entry, and immigration status.

4 of 7 on record

Ted Brown

Supports abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement, limiting Customs and Border Protection to ports of entry, ending immigration checkpoints and detention facilities, and allowing entry after criminal-record and disease checks with work authorization from day one.

Ted Brown for U.S. Senate — Platform ↗

Avery Ayers

Supports securing the border, enforcing immigration law and maintaining a functioning legal immigration system, describing border security and immigration enforcement as federal responsibilities.

Avery Ayers for U.S. Senate — Key Issues & Policy ↗

James Talarico

Supports comprehensive immigration reform that secures the border while expanding legal migration, prioritizing ICE resources for criminals and traffickers, creating legalization pathways for some undocumented immigrants, modernizing ports of entry, and reducing the asylum backlog.

Talarico for Texas — Immigration & Border Security ↗

Ken Paxton

In coverage

Supports completing the border wall, securing the border and deporting immigrants who have committed crimes; he also says he would work with President Trump on those priorities in the Senate.

✓ Track record — what they've actually done

Co-led a lawsuit demanding that the federal government continue construction of the border wall with already appropriated funds.

Texas attorney general and co-leading plaintiff · 2021-10-21 · Lawsuit filed; the cited release states the demand and filing but does not establish a final outcome.

Ken Paxton for U.S. Senate — Issues ↗

No public position yet from Simmons, Hall, Mohamed

Health Care Access and Costs

Central to the race

Medicare, Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program, and Affordable Care Act marketplace protections are federal programs administered through the Department of Health and Human Services, while Medicaid is jointly financed and federally regulated with state flexibility. Congress can change eligibility, benefits, drug-price rules, and federal funding.

The data behind the debate

How many people lack health insurance?

16.7%Texas
+8.5 United States
7 of 7 on record

Ken Paxton

Supports increasing transparency in food and health-care systems, addressing pharmaceutical and food-company practices, and promoting healthier outcomes while putting patients’ well-being ahead of corporate profits.

Ken Paxton for U.S. Senate — Issues ↗

Jade Simmons

Prioritizes increasing health-care accessibility and affordability for families as one of the campaign’s core focus areas.

Jade Simmons for U.S. Senate — FAQs ↗

Bradford "Brad" Hall

Supports a dedicated health-care audit team using artificial intelligence and a contract-to-payment identifier to measure Medicare and Medicaid fraud, showing patients prices before purchase, and modernizing how new treatments are assessed.

Bradford Hall for U.S. Senate — Public position ledger ↗
ZM

Zul Mohamed

Supports a path toward universal coverage with a public insurance option, lower prescription prices, protections for preexisting conditions, stronger rural and mental health care, medical-debt protections, clearer billing and controls against waste and fraud.

Zul Mohamed for Senate — Why New America Will be Healthier than Previous Generations ↗

Ted Brown

Supports free-market health care measures including medical savings accounts, tax deductions for health expenses, interstate insurance sales, catastrophic policies and importing drugs from other countries; he also proposes replacing the Food and Drug Administration with private drug certification.

Ted Brown for U.S. Senate — Platform ↗

Avery Ayers

Treats premiums, deductibles, prescription drugs and unexpected medical expenses as part of its affordability agenda, and identifies the long-term finances of Social Security and Medicare as household concerns.

Avery Ayers for U.S. Senate — Affordability & Texas Kitchen Table ↗

James Talarico

In coverage

Supports allowing every American to buy into Medicare, lowering prescription costs through negotiation and competition, protecting the Affordable Care Act and public coverage, reforming prior authorization, protecting rural hospitals, and reducing medical debt.

✓ Track record — what they've actually done

Served as House sponsor of SB 241, requiring certain brand-name insulin manufacturers to submit verification to the Health and Human Services Commission when generic or biosimilar alternatives are unavailable.

House sponsor · 2023 legislative session · Enacted; effective 2024-09-01.

Talarico for Texas — Health Care ↗

Government Accountability and Democratic Institutions

Central to the race

Federal inspectors general audit and investigate agencies under the Inspector General Act, with Congress setting statutory duties, budgets, and protections for independence. The dispute is how much independent oversight, transparency, and enforceable checks Congress should require for federal spending and executive power.

The data behind the debate

What was the last Texas U.S. Senate vote?

5,990,741 votesCruz (R)
+959492.0 Allred (D)+5723702.0 Brown (L)
6 of 7 on record

Ted Brown

Supports requiring congressional approval before executive orders or emergency declarations take effect, automatic sunset clauses and periodic renewal of emergency powers, protections against indefinite detention, and time-limited emergency funding with legislative oversight.

Ted Brown for U.S. Senate — Platform ↗

Jade Simmons

Emphasizes public trust and accountability and proposes constituent-informed, collaborative leadership independent of party structures.

Jade Simmons for U.S. Senate — Meet Jade ↗

Bradford "Brad" Hall

Supports evenhanded documentation and correction standards, public reporting of unresolved findings, cause requirements for firing inspectors general, congressional control of spending, emergency-power exit conditions, and paper trails and public audits for elections.

Bradford Hall for U.S. Senate — Public position ledger ↗
ZM

Zul Mohamed

Supports limiting government surveillance, phasing out municipal networked license-plate-reader agreements, requiring narrowly tailored investigative use, and publishing surveillance contracts, costs, retention rules, data-sharing arrangements and audits.

Zul Mohamed for Senate — Texas Cities Should End Their Agreements with Flock Safety ↗

James Talarico

In coverage

Supports banning super PAC and corporate PAC money, ending partisan gerrymandering through independent commissions, expanding voting access, banning congressional stock trading, requiring town halls, and strengthening ethics and oversight across government.

✓ Track record — what they've actually done

Authored HB 21, a bill relating to a Texas Independent Citizen Redistricting Commission.

House author · 2023 legislative session · Referred to the Redistricting Committee; no enactment is established by the cited report.

Talarico for Texas — Corruption & Democracy ↗

Ken Paxton

In coverage

Supports ending the weaponization of government and reducing wasteful federal spending.

✓ Track record — what they've actually done

Released an attorney general opinion outlining the process for legislators and the public to inspect or obtain copies of anonymous voted ballots.

Texas attorney general · 2022-08-22 · Attorney general opinion released; the cited release describes the inspection and copying process.

Ken Paxton for U.S. Senate — Issues ↗

No public position yet from Ayers

Public Education and Workforce Development

Also in play

The Department of Education was established by Congress, and federal law directs it to supplement state and local education, distribute federal funds, and promote accountability. Congress controls its authorizing statutes and appropriations, while states and local systems run most schools.

The data behind the debate

How did Texas eighth graders perform in math?

269 pointsTexas
−3.0 Nation
6 of 7 on record

Jade Simmons

Prioritizes education by empowering teachers and students with modern tools and funding, and identifies school and student service as part of the campaign’s current work.

Jade Simmons for U.S. Senate — FAQs ↗
ZM

Zul Mohamed

Supports federal investment in teachers, school facilities, career and technical education, apprenticeships, AI literacy and student support, while preserving local decision-making and requiring transparent measures of education spending and results.

Zul Mohamed for Senate — The New American Approach to Public Education ↗

Ken Paxton

Supports parental rights in education.

Ken Paxton for U.S. Senate — Issues ↗

Ted Brown

Supports abolishing the federal Department of Education, using tuition tax credits for private-school families, and expanding charter schools and homeschooling as part of a separation of school and state.

Ted Brown for U.S. Senate — Platform ↗

Avery Ayers

Supports skilled trades, certifications, apprenticeships and technical education as alternatives to a four-year college pathway, with workforce development tied to employment and technology.

Avery Ayers for U.S. Senate — Texas Issues ↗

James Talarico

In coverage

Supports stronger public schools through literacy and math grants, teacher recruitment and training, universal early childhood education, career and technical education, school meals, special-education oversight and AI guidelines; opposes federal private-school vouchers.

✓ Track record — what they've actually done

Authored HB 2607, addressing Texas Workforce Commission and local workforce development board duties related to child care and subsidized child care.

House author · 2021 legislative session · Enacted; effective 2021-09-01.

Talarico for Texas — Public Education ↗

No public position yet from Hall

Artificial Intelligence, Privacy, and Technology

Also in play

Federal AI governance currently combines laws, executive orders, agency requirements, and guidance; the National Institute of Standards and Technology's AI risk framework is voluntary, while federal oversight groups address agency use. Congress can decide whether to set binding standards for federal procurement, privacy, labor, and technology markets.

6 of 7 on record

Bradford "Brad" Hall

Supports independent audits of AI systems used in public programs, American AI for government work, facility-level electricity and water reporting for subsidized data centers, and requiring large loads to fund their own connections before incentives apply.

Bradford Hall for U.S. Senate — Public position ledger ↗

James Talarico

Supports safeguards for children online, algorithm impact assessments, limits on targeted content to minors, worker protections and retraining around AI, human review of automated decisions, export controls for advanced chips, digital literacy and clear consumer-protection rules for cryptocurrency.

Talarico for Texas — Social Media, AI & Tech ↗

Ken Paxton

Supports a pro-growth federal regulatory framework for digital assets and says passage of the CLARITY Act would give cryptocurrency innovators greater certainty to build and scale.

Ken Paxton for U.S. Senate — Issues ↗

Ted Brown

Opposes government-mandated age verification, digital identification and social-credit systems, and supports privacy rights over government-collected data, limits on surveillance cameras and protection from unreasonable searches of third-party records.

Ted Brown for U.S. Senate — Platform ↗

Avery Ayers

Supports AI education, worker retraining and apprenticeships to help people adapt to technological change, and says technology should be part of the country’s economic and workforce planning.

Avery Ayers for U.S. Senate — Texas Issues ↗
ZM

Zul Mohamed

Supports expanding access to computer science, robotics, engineering and AI literacy in public schools.

Zul Mohamed for Senate — The New American Approach to Public Education ↗

No public position yet from Simmons

Foreign Policy and Military Engagement

Also in play

The President directs foreign affairs and commands the armed forces, while Congress authorizes and funds military operations and can limit hostilities through statutes such as the War Powers Resolution. The stakes include military deployments, alliances, foreign aid, and the use of force.

4 of 7 on record

Ted Brown

Supports a non-interventionist foreign policy, bringing troops home from foreign assignments, ending foreign military interventions, withdrawing from NATO and other entangling alliances, ending foreign aid payments and removing tariffs that act as consumer taxes.

Ted Brown for U.S. Senate — Platform ↗
ZM

Zul Mohamed

Criticizes U.S. funding for Israel and promotes a campaign event focused on protection of civilians, humanitarian relief, and peace for Palestinian families.

Zul Mohamed for Senate — Campaign homepage ↗

James Talarico

Supports diplomacy and alliances, continued support for Ukraine, humanitarian action, and a two-state Israeli-Palestinian settlement; he proposes stopping offensive weapons sales to Israel while retaining defensive support and preventing U.S. funds from harming civilians.

Talarico for Texas — Foreign Policy ↗

Ken Paxton

Supports an America First foreign policy that prioritizes U.S. interests and safety, promotes peace through strength and places less emphasis on sending U.S. resources to foreign countries.

Ken Paxton for U.S. Senate — Issues ↗

No public position yet from Simmons, Ayers, Hall