Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton used a Fort Worth campaign stop Tuesday to draw a sharp contrast between himself and Democratic Senate opponent James Talarico, surrounding himself with sheriffs and law enforcement leaders while arguing the race comes down to support for police.
Speaking before a room filled with reporters and dozens of law enforcement officers, Paxton thanked the sheriffs in attendance and promised to continue backing police if elected to the U.S. Senate.
Officers, he said, “need to know that their elected officials have their back.”
Paxton highlighted what he described as his office's record of defending officers in court, prosecuting violent crimes referred by local agencies, and expanding specialized units focused on human trafficking, transnational organized crime, cold cases and missing persons.
He also pointed to Texas' size and its southern border as reasons his office has invested heavily in combating trafficking operations, saying specialized resources help local agencies investigate and dismantle criminal networks.
On cold cases, Paxton said families “should never lose hope simply because years have passed.”
Sheriffs Rally Behind Paxton
Before Paxton took the stage, Fort Worth Sheriff Bill Waybourne and State Rep. A.J. Lauderback, a retired Texas sheriff representing House District 30, introduced the attorney general.
Lauderback praised Paxton's efforts on border security, crediting him with supporting Operation Lone Star, Texas' border enforcement initiative launched during the Biden administration. He also commended Paxton's opposition to what he called an “open borders ideology.”
Campaign Targets Talarico's Record
Much of Paxton's remarks focused on Talarico's record, with campaign signage reading, "Talarico: Handcuffed to His Record."
Paxton accused the Democratic state representative of supporting the "defund the police" movement during 2020, pointing to Talarico's donation to the Austin Justice Coalition, which Paxton said advocated for reducing funding for the Austin Police Department and opposed a local ballot measure supporting police funding.
Paxton also criticized Talarico over past comments about policing and several legislative positions, saying his opponent opposed tougher bail policies for repeat offenders, mandatory minimum sentences for human smugglers, designating Mexican drug cartels as terrorist organizations and enhanced penalties for organized crime.
Talarico's campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Senate Priorities
Paxton also outlined several priorities he said he would pursue if elected to the Senate, including:
Fully funding President Donald Trump's border security agenda.
Continuing aggressive border enforcement.
Increasing efforts against cartels trafficking fentanyl.
Supporting mandatory detention and deportation of criminal migrants.
Preserving qualified immunity protections for law enforcement officers.
"I will always have your back," Paxton told the officers in attendance.
Questions Left Unanswered
Following his remarks, reporters asked Paxton about recent reporting involving property acquisitions connected to his campaign. Paxton declined to answer, saying he wanted to keep the event focused on law enforcement because of the sheriffs attending the news conference.
He also declined to answer a question regarding his college voting history, again saying the event's focus was law enforcement.
When asked how he planned to win over undecided voters in what polls indicate is a competitive race, Paxton reiterated his campaign's central argument that he has consistently supported law enforcement funding and protections while portraying Talarico's record differently.
Campaign Controversies Continue
Tuesday's attacks on Talarico's law enforcement record come as Republicans have also criticized the Democratic candidate over previous comments about religion, gender, abortion and biblical interpretation.
More recently, Talarico faced criticism after his self-described mentor, Austin pastor Jim Rigby, appeared to downplay a reported third assassination attempt against President Trump during a Sunday sermon. Republicans, including the Republican National Committee, sought to connect those remarks to Talarico's campaign, although Talarico publicly condemned political violence.
Election Timeline
