The mid-term election date is Tuesday, November 3, with early voting running fro October 19 through October 30. This years Texas Senate race is critical for Second Amendment advocates.
The Republican candidate for US Senate is Ken Paxton, who has been the Texas Attorney General since 2015. The Democratic candidate for US Senate is James Talarico, who has been a Texas Congressman since 2018. This gives us significant history of each candidates record on the Second Amendment.
Ken Paxton
Ken Paxton has a significant history supporting the Second Amendment. Below are several examples from recent years.
Lawsuits
- Feb 2023: He sued the Biden ATF over the pistol brace rule, partnering with Gun Owners of America. He called the rule “dangerous and unconstitutional.” Office of the Attorney General
- May 2024: He led a multistate suit against ATF’s rule on private firearm sales. He won a temporary restraining order, then an injunction covering the plaintiff states. In April 2026, the Trump DOJ moved to dismiss its appeal of that injunction. Office of the Attorney General
- July 2022: He joined a 17-state suit against an ATF rule on firearm parts. Office of the Attorney General
Briefs and letters
- April 2022: He joined an amicus brief asking the Supreme Court to review the bump stock ban. Office of the Attorney General
- Feb 2023: He joined a letter condemning President Biden’s call for an assault weapons ban. Office of the Attorney General
- March 2023: He joined two amicus briefs challenging New York’s Concealed Carry Improvement Act. Office of the Attorney General
James Talarico
James Talarico has a history of fighting the Second Amendment.
📘 House Journal, April 15, 2021
- HB 1407 (license holders carrying a handgun in a vehicle), Record 248: passed 97 to 47. Talarico voted Nay. Texas
- HB 1856 (hotel guests carrying and storing firearms), Record 250: passed 100 to 45. Talarico voted Nay. Texas
📘 HB 1927 amendments
- Talarico voted Yea on nine Democratic amendments that all failed: Records 260 to 263 and 265 to 269.
- Talarico voted Nay on Record 264, an amendment to lower the carry age from 21 to 18. It failed 12 to 121. Texas
🗳️ HB 1927 passage
- Third reading, April 16, Record 298: the Legislative Reference Library lists this as the final House passage vote. Open States, which draws on the journal, shows Talarico voting No, with 87 yeas and 58 nays. texasOpen States
These are both just a small sampling of each candidate’s record, and only covers the Second Amendment. As with everything, I encourage you to do your own research and make your own conclusions, but if you support the Second Amendment the decision is clear. James Talarico is bad for the Second Amendment and bad for Texas.
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