Super PACs Pledged $61 Million for Texas Senate Race
Broadcasters and media buyers in Texas face a surge in political ad volume as outside groups ramp up spending for Ken Paxton.
Updated on Sept. 20, 2026 in Advertising
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The Senate Leadership Fund and MAGA, Inc. have pledged a combined $61 million in television advertising to support Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. This influx of capital comes as Ken Paxton trails challenger James Talarico by 2.9 percentage points in recent polling averages.
Why it matters
The Republican party is targeting this seat as a competitive race, aiming to overcome a funding gap that threatened the incumbent's standing. For operators in media and advertising, the surge in PAC spending represents a significant shift in inventory demand and market rates.
Super PACs have pledged $61 million in new television advertising for Ken Paxton, adding to the $17.5 million already spent by Lone Star Liberty. This activity occurs while James Talarico maintains a 47.9% to 45.0% lead in the RealClearPolitics polling average.
The players
Ken Paxton
The incumbent Attorney General of Texas currently seeking election to the U.S. Senate.
James Talarico
A political challenger currently leading in polling averages for the Texas Senate seat.
Senate Leadership Fund
A Republican-aligned super PAC focused on funding television advertising for Senate candidates.
MAGA, Inc.
A high-capacity super PAC involved in national and state-level political advertising efforts.
Lone Star Liberty
A super PAC that deployed $17.5 million in advertising for the Texas Senate contest.
The details
The Senate Leadership Fund and MAGA, Inc. are funding television spots that criticize past statements made by James Talarico regarding gender and faith. This ad strategy follows a period where Talarico gained traction through viral digital media, including an interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live that reached 12 million views. Local broadcasters in Texas will see a marked increase in demand for ad slots leading up to the election.
Timeline
August 24 - September 14: Polling period for RealClearPolitics average
August 30 - September 9: Lone Star Liberty ad spending period
September 18: YouTube view count for Talarico interview
October 5: Voter registration deadline
October 19: Early voting begins
Market Landscape
The surge in super PAC spending follows a pattern of intensive independent expenditure strategies enabled by the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act. This dynamic highlights how outside groups increasingly dictate market rates for television inventory in highly competitive state races.
Operators in Texas media should anticipate tight inventory and potential price increases for television ad space through the November election. Businesses reliant on local media for marketing should consider early booking or diversifying into digital channels to avoid the political premium.
The takeaway
The race has shifted into an expensive battle for television dominance as PAC spending nears $80 million total. Track the impact of these ad spends on voter turnout metrics starting with the early voting period on October 19 to gauge the effectiveness of the current messaging.
What happens next
Early voting for the election is scheduled to begin on October 19.
Further reading
For broader insights into how election cycles influence market rates, review the latest Advertising reports.
Source note: This article includes information reported by CBS News.
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