Talarico outdraws Trump in Lubbock rally

Lubbock, Texas, hosted two major political gatherings on Tuesday, marking the first visit by a sitting president to the city in 34 years. Despite the high-profile presence of the commander-in-chief, the longest lines formed for Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico.

Dr. Tim Jones, a 66-year-old emergency room physician, stood in one such line on the city's east side. Jones, who identified as a closet Democrat, cited frustration with gas prices, inflation, and the war. He also pointed to corruption, specifically the White House ballroom construction, as reasons voters are deciding to show up on Election Day.

Less than three miles away, President Donald Trump addressed a crowd at the Lubbock Memorial Civic Center. He came to support Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton, the state attorney general. Trump introduced Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who made his first appearance at a midterm rally. Rubio, who had avoided such events until Tuesday, kept his remarks brief. He told the crowd that enemies were weaker and the country was stronger under Trump.

The Texas Senate race has consumed hundreds of millions of dollars in spending. It poses the most serious threat in years to the Republican hold on the state. With one week remaining, Talarico holds a narrow polling lead. His presence in deep Republican territory indicates a strategy to capture the crossover votes necessary for a victory.

At his evening rally, Talarico urged supporters to seize a rare opportunity to flip a statewide seat after three decades of GOP control. He criticized the economy, high gas prices, and rural hospital closures. He repeatedly described Paxton as corrupt and subservient to Trump. Talarico also targeted Elon Musk, who has significant business interests in Texas. Talarico said Musk was trying to buy his own senator after injecting more than $150 million into Paxton's campaign. He told the audience, "We have an affordability crisis because we have a corruption crisis."

His campaign reported that more than 4,000 people signed up to attend the event. Trump, speaking earlier in the day, painted a different picture of his opponent. He described Talarico as an extremist who dislikes guns and meat. The president mocked the candidate with the nickname "Talafreako." Trump also referenced Talarico's earlier absence from the campaign trail due to the flu, suggesting it was a mental problem or an upset stomach from eating meat. He added, "That's why we can't afford to lose to some freak."

Talarico embraced the nickname during his address. He told the crowd he had never seen so many "Talafreakos" in one room. He declared that Lubbock was ready for change.

Republicans outnumber Democrats in Texas by a wide margin, but GOP strategists acknowledge a genuine contest. National anger and dissatisfaction with Washington are driving voter turnout. Paxton has faced personal scandals that have weighed on his numbers. The state party continues to manage infighting from a bitter primary, where Trump endorsed Paxton over Senator John Cornyn, who had the backing of much of the party establishment.

Trump has visited Texas three times this month. He held two rallies on Tuesday, starting in Corpus Christi before moving to Lubbock. Paxton said Trump told him on the way to Lubbock that he does not normally do two rallies for any candidate. Paxton recalled the president saying, "I must really like you." Rubio, who is a possible 2028 presidential candidate, also spoke in Corpus Christi earlier in the day.