James Talarico is drawing attention in the Texas Senate race as he builds Latino support and leans into an affordability message focused on cost of living, health care, and taxes. His campaign has also raised far more money than Ken Paxton in the latest quarter, giving him a major fundraising edge. At the same time, he has faced backlash over a disputed claim involving a child sex abuse victim’s family and criticism from a conservative attack ad over past flag remarks.