Some of the richest traditionally Republican neighborhoods in Texas have given more money to a Democrat this year than to the GOP nominee for the Senate. According to an analysis of Federal Election Commission records by reporters at The Houston Chronicle, Democratic Senate hopeful James Talarico is outperforming Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton in fundraising in ZIP codes that have previously backed President Donald Trump. The fundraising numbers come as Texas has surged to the forefront as a key state in the battle to control the Senate.
Democrats are hoping to win a Senate seat in the Lone Star State for the first time since 1988 by capitalizing on Trump's low polling numbers. In University Park, a town that sits entirely inside a district that Trump carried by more than 5 points in 2024, Talarico has raised $214,296, more than 18 percent more than Paxton's $181,656 through June 30. The town represents the second-largest source of individual contributions to Paxton's Senate campaign of any ZIP code in the country.
The fundraising numbers there are not an isolated result. Across 11 different ZIP codes in four metropolitan areas that fall inside state House districts Trump won in 2024, Talarico raised about $1.3 million from individual donors, compared with roughly $422,000 for Paxton. Newsweek reached out to the Talarico and Paxton campaigns for comment Wednesday.
The Chronicle analysis mapped itemized individual contributions to each campaign by the ZIP code in which the donor reported. The widest gaps are in The Woodlands, a community north of Houston. Across the four ZIP codes covering the area and the suburbs around it, Talarico raised $238,622 to Paxton's $39,281.
In 77381, at the center of The Woodlands, the split was $98,103 to $19,247. In 77386, covering Spring and Imperial Oaks, it was $68,076 to $4,476. West Houston runs the same way.
Talarico raised $255,116 in 77024, the ZIP code for the Memorial Villages, against $60,643 for Paxton. In 77079, farther west along Memorial Drive, he raised $98,189 to Paxton's $10,405. In the Katy and Richmond suburbs, Talarico raised $152,557 across two ZIP codes, compared with $50,228 for Paxton.
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