Trump campaigns in Texas for Ken Paxton in tight Senate race

President Donald Trump campaigned in Lubbock, Texas, on Tuesday to rally support for Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton and Governor Greg Abbott, according to the Washington Examiner. The Washington Examiner and ABC News Australia reported that Trump embarked on a campaign swing in Texas to shore up votes in a close race against Democratic nominee James Talarico. [3][4][5]

During his speech in Lubbock, Trump announced a plan to end federal rules on methane emissions, according to the Guardian. The Guardian reported that Trump said he was terminating regulations issued by the Biden administration in 2023 to force energy firms to reduce methane pollution. The Washington Examiner noted that Trump also made a campaign stop in Corpus Christi before arriving in Lubbock. [2][3]

Voter issues in Texas include abortion rights, cost of living, and oil and gas policy, Fox News reported. Republican state attorney general Ken Paxton and Democratic state representative James Talarico are competing in the November 3, 2026 election, as noted in background details. As FTMQ News reported earlier, billionaire Elon Musk donated 158 million dollars to a Republican group backing Paxton's campaign. [1][13][16]

Democrat James Talarico also held a rally in Texas, according to the New York Daily News and U.S. News and World Report. U.S. News and World Report stated that Talarico vowed to take back Texas as Trump made a last minute effort to keep the state in Republican hands. [8][9]