Tuesday’s Campaign Round-Up, 6.30.26: Poll shows Talarico and Paxton tied in Texas

Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.

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* In Texas’ closely watched Senate race, a contest that appeared well out of reach for Democrats in the recent past, the latest New York Times/Siena poll found Democratic state Rep. James Talarico tied with Republican state Attorney General Ken Paxton, with each candidate garnering 47% support.

It’s the kind of survey data that’s likely to encourage Democratic officials and their allies to start investing in the race, seeing a rare opportunity to perhaps pick up a seat in a red state.

In an analysis for The New York Times, Nate Cohn explained, “Just about everything would need to go right for Democrats to win a state that President Trump won by 14 percentage points in 2024 — and, so far, everything has.”

* Speaking of Democrats competing in red states, in Ohio’s closely watched Senate race, the latest poll commissioned by AARP found former Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown narrowly leading appointed Republican Sen. Jon Husted, 48% to 45%. This is roughly in line with other recent statewide surveys that have shown Brown with a small advantage.

* In Ohio’s open gubernatorial race, meanwhile, the same AARP poll found Democrat Amy Acton, the former director of the Ohio Department of Health, narrowly ahead of Republican Vivek Ramaswamy, 47% to 44%.