Republican U.S. Senate candidate Ken Paxton has not committed to a proposed televised debate with Democrat James Talarico after a key deadline passed this week.
The first of three proposed debates, sponsored by Hearst Newspapers and NBC/Telemundo, was set for Sept. 22 in the Rio Grande Valley. According to reporting from the San Antonio Express-News, Wednesday marked the deadline to finalize that agreement. Talarico’s campaign had already accepted the invitation, while Paxton’s team neither accepted nor declined it by the cutoff.
Paxton’s campaign has previously said the attorney general is willing to debate. In a statement, spokesman Nick Maddux said Paxton “immediately agreed to debate James Talarico within hours of being asked” and that the campaign is “close to terms with one outlet now and expect an announcement to be forthcoming shortly.”
Ken Paxton snubs debate invite from Hearst and NBC/Telemundo https://t.co/RePtRVX40A
— San Antonio Express-News (@ExpressNews) August 12, 2026
Talarico, a state representative, has accepted invitations for all three proposed matchups. The other two are planned for Oct. 8 in Dallas, hosted by WFAA and TEGNA, and Oct. 13 in Austin, hosted by KXAN and Nexstar.
The race for the open Senate seat is one of the most closely watched in the country. Recent polls have shown a competitive contest, with Talarico holding a slim lead in some surveys. Paxton, the three-term Texas attorney general, has not debated a political opponent in more than a decade.
Talarico’s campaign has publicly challenged Paxton to appear, saying the deadlines and locations are set. Paxton’s team has emphasized it wants fair terms and is continuing negotiations with at least one media outlet.
No formal debate agreement has been announced for any of the three proposed dates as of Wednesday evening.
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