Elections Intelligence

Texas U.S. Senate

OPEN SEATToss-up to Lean D

John Cornyn (R) has held this seat since December 2002 and is not on the November ballot. Before that: Phil Gramm (R).

James Talarico Open-seat nominee
64¢
Party market · checked 2:09 PM ETView on Kalshi ↗
37¢
Ken Paxton Open-seat nominee

FTP Race Signal

FTP Race SignalA composite of market, polling and money. The prediction-market price anchors it; a polling average moves it: the last 30 days, or the three most recent pollsters when fewer polled. Polls paid for by a candidate, party or allied group move 2 points toward the other side and count half. When the three most recent independent pollsters each have the race within three points, it is a Toss-up unless the market is already decisive. Fundraising counts only at a five-to-one gap. Past results are context, not inputs. A rating changes only when the evidence clears the line.

A seat that went Republican by 10 points in 2020 is now a coin flip, the Democrat narrowly ahead at 64¢.

Lean D
Safe DLikely DLean DToss-upLean RLikely RSafe R
Fundraising · Lean DD 7.41-to-1 in receipts. Market · Toss-upD 64¢: traders' price for a Democratic win, a flip from Republican. Polling · Toss-upD+2.9 (average of 14 pollsters, Oct 8). Prior result · Lean RR+9.64 in 2020.

Market and polls both favor Talarico.

As of October 12.

Market

BandPRICEToss-up50¢ to 65¢Lean65¢ to 82¢Likely82¢ to 95¢Safe95¢ and above
D 64¢

Kalshi party market · checked 2:09 PM ET

View market on Kalshi ↗

Polling

BandPOINTSToss-up0 to 5Lean5 to 10Likely10 to 20Safe20 and above
D+2.9
Trafalgar Group ↗ C+ Oct 6 to 8 · n=1,086 LV D+3 Independent
YouGov ↗ B+ Sep 28 to Oct 5 · n=3,625 LV D+6 Independent
NYT/Siena ↗ A+ Sep 21 to 30 · n=615 LV D+6 Independent
Rasmussen Reports ↗ Sep 28 to Sep 29 · n=1,028 LV D+1 Independent
Guidant P&S ↗ Sep 20 to 28 · n=800 LV D+2.4 Independent
UMass Lowell ↗ A Sep 18 to 28 · n=850 LV EVEN Independent
Fox News/Beacon ↗ A Sep 24 to 28 · n=881 LV D+2 Independent
Pulse Decision Science ↗ Sep 24 to Sep 27 · n=800 LV R+3 Paxton sponsor R+3 · Paxton sponsor · counts as R+1 at half weight
Big Data Poll ↗ C+ Sep 24 to 26 · n=698 LV D+1.9 Independent
Texas Public Opinion Research ↗ C+ Sep 19 to 22 · n=1,007 LV D+5 D-leaning firm
Marist College ↗ A Sep 17 to 20 · n=1,139 RV D+6 Independent
TSU - B. Jordan ↗ B- Sep 15 to 19 · n=1,800 LV D+1 Independent
Emerson College ↗ A+ Sep 12 to 14 · n=1,000 LV D+1 Independent
Socal Strategies ↗ C Sep 12 to 13 · n=649 LV D+5 R-leaning firm

Average of the latest poll from each of 14 pollsters in the last 30 days. Polls paid for by a candidate, party or allied group move 2 points toward the other side and count half.

Earlier polls · 25
Trafalgar Group ↗ C+ Sep 15 to 17 · n=1,079 LV D+1.2 Independent
Siena/ReconMR ↗ A+ Sep 8 to 11 · n=614 LV D+6 Independent
Mason-Dixon ↗ A Sep 8 to 10 · n=625 LV D+3 Independent
InsiderAdvantage ↗ B+ Sep 8 to 9 · n=1,200 LV D+1 Independent
YouGov ↗ B+ Aug 27 to Sep 4 · n=1,000 RV D+5 Univision sponsor
Fabrizio ↗ A- Aug 30 to Sep 1 · n=895 LV D+4 AARP sponsor
Overton Insights ↗ C+ Aug 24 to 26 · n=1,167 LV EVEN Independent
Texas Public Opinion Research ↗ C+ Aug 21 to 24 · n=1,000 LV D+6 D-leaning firm
YouGov ↗ B+ Aug 5 to 13 · n=1,200 RV D+3 University of Texas sponsor
Emerson College ↗ A+ Aug 9 to 10 · n=1,000 LV R+1 Independent
YouGov ↗ B+ Jul 15 to 31 · n=1,001 RV D+3 Independent
Wedgewood Polls ↗ Jul 30 to 31 · n=800 LV D+2 Independent
Siena/ReconMR ↗ A+ Jul 27 to 30 · n=619 LV D+4 Independent
TSU - B. Jordan ↗ B- Jul 27 to 30 · n=1,200 RV D+2 Independent
Fox News/Beacon ↗ A Jul 23 to 27 · n=1,006 RV D+3 Independent
Fox News bipartisan research team ↗ Jul 31 · n=1,000 RV D+3 Fox News sponsor
Texas Public Opinion Research ↗ C+ Jul 15 to 17 · n=1,048 LV D+5 D-leaning firm
A2 Insights ↗ C- Jun 23 to 28 · n=618 LV D+2.3 Independent
NYT/Siena ↗ A+ Jun 19 to 27 · n=656 LV EVEN Independent
SoCal Strategies ↗ C Jun 21 · n=800 LV R+1.4 R-leaning firm
YouGov ↗ B+ Jun 5 to 12 · n=1,200 RV R+1 University of Texas sponsor
Siena/TX A&M ↗ A+ Jun 1 to 4 · n=807 LV EVEN Independent
Quantus ↗ B- Jun 3 to 4 · n=800 LV R+2 Independent
Texas Public Opinion Research ↗ C+ May 27 to 28 · n=1,670 LV D+3 D-leaning firm
PPP ↗ B May 22 to 23 · n=643 LV D+7 D-leaning firm

Prior result

BandPOINTSToss-up0 to 5Lean5 to 12Likely12 to 25Safe25 and above
R+9.6

John Cornyn (R)

53.5% to 43.9% · 2020 general election

def. MJ Hegar (D). Margin verified against retrieved official results.

Fundraising

BandRATIO TO 1Parity1 to 5Lean5 and above
D 7.41 to 1

Raised 2025 to 2026 · thru Jun 30

James Talarico$68.56M ↗$21.55M cash
Ken Paxton$9.25M ↗$1.76M cash

Total receipts in the 2025 to 2026 two-year cycle, through June 30, 2026.

The general election is on November 3, which is 22 days away.