Houston Voters Cast 1.8 Million Early Ballots Ahead of Senate Decider

More than 1.8 million residents in the ten-county Houston metropolitan area cast in-person or mail-in ballots during the two-week early voting period that ended before Election Day. According to the Texas Secretary of State, this figure represented nearly a quarter of all early votes cast across the entire state of Texas. Harris County alone recorded just over 1 million early ballots, according to unofficial tallies from HarrisVotes.com.

Attorney General Ken Paxton and State Representative James Talarico used their final appearances in the Houston region on Halloween weekend to pitch their respective visions for the U.S. Senate seat. Paxton addressed a crowd at the Federal American Grill in the Rice Military neighborhood on Friday, flanked by candidates Galveston State Senator Mayes Middleton and 38th District Republican nominee Jon Bonck. He outlined his economic platform, which he named the Protecting the Texas Promise Plan. The proposal includes a $25,000 deduction for out-of-pocket medical expenses, a $50,000 deduction for home purchases, and a deduction for gym memberships and physician-prescribed weight-loss drugs.

Paxton positioned the election as a battle for national control, arguing that a loss for Republicans in Texas would mean a loss for the country. He criticized his opponent, stating, "Everything that I just laid out puts money in your pocket. His entire record takes it out. James Talarico does have a plan for your money. It just doesn’t include you." He also emphasized religious themes, asking the audience to pray for Texas and to support the SAVE America Act.

The following day, Talarico spoke at the Bayou Music Center to a packed crowd. He was joined by U.S. Representative Christian Menefee and Governor’s race nominee Gina Hinojosa. Talarico focused on his populist message, identifying three billionaires, Elon Musk, Tim Dunn, and Farris Wilks, as key donors to Paxton or supporting groups. He promised to vote to ban corporate and super PACs, ban gerrymandering, and implement term limits if elected. He described the current system as rigged, saying, "It’s because the system has been rigged by billionaires and crooked politicians like Ken Paxton."

Talarico contrasted his approach with Paxton’s, invoking the biblical story of David and Goliath. He told the Houston audience, "Houston, you are my slingshot. The people of Texas are my slingshot. And on Nov. 3rd, those Goliaths aren’t going to know what hit them." The candidates will face voters again on Tuesday, November 3, for the final in-person vote.