Corruption concerns divide voters in Texas Senate race between Ken Paxton and James Talarico

The Deseret News-Hinckley Institute of Politics poll, conducted online by Morning Consult among 2,050 registered voters from October 13 to 19, found that 38% of American voters view Republican candidates as generally corrupt, compared to 29% who say the same of Democratic candidates. Responses were almost entirely determined by party affiliation, making independents the deciding factor. Nearly two-thirds of Democratic voters believe GOP office-seekers are corrupt, versus 42% of independents and 9% of Republicans. Meanwhile, just over one quarter of independent voters believe Democratic candidates are generally corrupt, with most seeing Democrats as falling "somewhere between" moral and corrupt.

In Texas, the race between Paxton and Talarico has elevated personality over policy, with a dozen polls this month putting the contest in the "toss-up" category, showing Talarico tied or slightly ahead. Paxton has sued the Biden administration more than 100 times as attorney general, notching major court wins on border security and other issues, but his tenure has also been marked by serious controversy. In 2023, the GOP-led Texas state House impeached Paxton for abusing his office to help a wealthy donor; he was acquitted by the state Senate after denying any wrongdoing. He had previously been indicted for securities fraud, for which he entered into a plea deal last year. Also in 2025, Paxton's wife filed for divorce after 38 years of marriage, alleging adultery.

GOP volunteer Jim Jack of Williamson County said Paxton's aggressive pursuit of President Donald Trump's political priorities marks him as a quality candidate regardless of the negative press. "I see Paxton doing a lot of good things for Texas, just in general; I never really looked at his personhood too much," Jack told the Deseret News. "I have got to agree with Trump on what I think of him as an attorney general."

But Fort Worth resident Mike Sturgill, a lifelong Republican, wrestles with Paxton's candidacy, considering character an essential component of good governance. "Do I vote for somebody who I think will vote and do things that I probably agree with but is a terrible human being?" Sturgill said. "I think most people are having that same kind of challenge."

Talarico has cast himself as a cleaner candidate, but Republicans have pointed to his past far-left statements on social issues, including declaring that "God is nonbinary" and advocating for transgender participation in sports and child gender-transition treatments. The Democrat has since retracted some of those comments and delivered a moderate message on affordability and ethics. Austin voter Jon Seldon, who has voted for both Republicans and Democrats in past elections, said Paxton's baggage pushed him to Talarico, creating an opening in a state Trump won by 13 percentage points. "People don't like him, and that's why I think Talarico has a shot," Seldon said. "He comes across as a cleaner candidate."

Chuck DeVore, chief national initiatives officer at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, said voters tend to return to their ideological homes despite allegations against Paxton. "They're voting for people who they think are going to vote in ways that reflect their philosophy," he told the Deseret News. "A lot of voters look at it like, 'I'm not hiring someone to be a babysitter; I'm hiring someone to vote in the U.S. Senate.' So what's the record of these individuals running?"