TEXAS — Ken Paxton held a campaign rally in McAllen in July 2026, marking the latest development in a U.S. Senate race defined by contrasting theological frameworks. Ken Paxton is the Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Texas, while James Talarico is the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Texas.

The contest unfolds in a state where two-thirds of the adult population identifies as Christian. Additionally, 45% of adults in Texas say religion is “very important” in their life.

Paxton frames his candidacy around biblical authority and traditional values. He wrote on the office of attorney general’s website that the U.S. was “founded on the rock of Biblical Truth.” In the same statement, he argued, “In Texas classrooms, we want the Word of God opened, the Ten Commandments displayed, and prayers lifted up. Twisted, radical liberals want to erase Truth, dismantle the solid foundation that America’s success and strength were built upon, and erode the moral fabric of our society.” Paxton supports a state law requiring Texas public school classrooms to display donated copies of the Ten Commandments. He has defended the Texas Ten Commandments display law in court as state attorney general.

Paxton also supports a law allowing Texas school districts to dedicate class time for prayer. Last year, he encouraged Texas students to recite the King James version of the Lord’s Prayer. His views on governance extend to other areas, as he has called gun ownership a God-given right protected by the Second Amendment.

In a 2015 interview, Paxton stated that the Constitution was “written by people of faith.” During the McAllen rally, he addressed the contrast with his opponent directly. “So, what are the differences between me and my opponent? I’m sure you know some of them. One of them is family. Actually, let me talk about faith first,” Paxton said.

He appeared on Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s podcast to discuss these themes further. He criticized Talarico’s theological positions, stating, “Talarico’s views are antithetical to historical Christian views and adopted from liberal theology that do not reflect what Scripture says.” He also stated that Talarico said God is nonbinary. Additionally, he stated that Talarico said supporting the oil and gas industry is un-Christian.

When discussing his own political survival, Paxton referenced his legal challenges. He said he truly believes that God just delivered him, not because he is a great person, because God is sovereign and he does what he wants to do. He added that he doesn’t take credit for it, it’s really by the grace of God. Paxton faced an unsuccessful impeachment on corruption charges in 2023.

Talarico offers a different interpretation of Christian duty, emphasizing social justice and neighborly love. He is training to become a pastor in the Presbyterian Church (USA). Talarico attends Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, though he is currently on leave from his degree program at the seminary.

E2 [HIST] Talarico has served as a member of the Texas House of Representatives since 2018. Talarico uses social media to share his message, including when he posted a sermon on TikTok in December 2025. In that post, he said Scripture says you can’t love God and hate other people. He continued that you can’t love God and abuse the immigrant, you can’t love God and bully the outcast, and you can’t love God and oppress the poor. Talarico also said that people spend so much time looking for God out there that they miss God in the person sitting right next to them, in that neighbor who bears the divine image. In the face of a neighbor, he said, people glimpse the face of God.

He reached broader audiences through other platforms as well. He spoke with podcaster Joe Rogan in July 2025. During that appearance, he critiqued the use of religious symbolism in legislation.

“It’s using political power to elevate one religious tradition over all the others. It’s using governmental power to dominate our neighbors instead of loving them as ourselves, which is exactly what we’re called to do as Christians,” he said. On the topic of abortion, he offered a theological perspective that diverges from many conservative Christians. “That’s a belief I have not despite my faith, but because of it. Jesus never talks about abortion. The Bible is silent on abortion,” he said. He dismissed Paxton's criticism of his faith, saying his statements were taken out of context.

Janine Giordano Drake is a professor of history at Indiana University. She provided context on how religious politics have evolved in the United States. “There were many efforts at that time to define a so-called Christian moral politics around what they call family values, personal responsibility, what they defined as appropriate expression of sexuality and patriotism,” Drake said.

Why It Matters

The U.S. Senate race in Texas presents voters with two distinct models of how faith intersects with public life. With two-thirds of Texas adults identifying as Christian and 45% considering religion very important, the candidates' theological arguments carry weight. Paxton advocates for biblical authority in law and education, while Talarico emphasizes social justice and opposition to dominating neighbors through political power. The recent Fifth Circuit ruling on the Ten Commandments display law adds legal precedent to the policy debates central to the campaign.

E1 PureSource News previously reported: Polls Show Talarico, Paxton in Tight Texas Senate Race. The outcome may influence how future candidates frame religious identity in a state where faith remains a central cultural force. The divergence between Paxton’s focus on traditional values and Talarico’s focus on neighborly love reflects broader national tensions within American Christianity.

Timeline

In 2015, Ken he stated in a 2015 interview that the Constitution was “written by people of faith.” In 2023, Ken Paxton faced an unsuccessful impeachment on corruption charges in 2023. In 2025, Ken Paxton encouraged Texas students to recite the King James version of the Lord’s Prayer last year. Texas Senate Bill 10, passed on May 28, 2025, and signed into law on June 21, 2025, requires all public schools in the state to include the Ten Commandments in the classroom.

In July 2025, James Talarico spoke with podcaster Joe Rogan in July 2025. In December 2025, James he posted a sermon on TikTok in December 2025. On April 21, 2026, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled that Texas Senate Bill 10 does not violate the U.S. Constitution or establish a state religion, reversing a lower court's injunction. In July 2026, Ken Paxton held a campaign rally in McAllen in July 2026.

What's New

PureSource News previously reported: Polls Show Talarico, Paxton in Tight Texas Senate Race. Texas Senate Bill 10, passed on May 28, 2025, and signed into law on June 21, 2025, requires all public schools in the state to include the Ten Commandments in the classroom. On April 21, 2026, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled that Texas Senate Bill 10 does not violate the U.S. Constitution or establish a state religion, reversing a lower court's injunction. James Talarico has served as a member of the Texas House of Representatives since 2018.

How Sources Differ

Sources differ on the specifics of the Texas public commandments issue. The primary source and Ken Paxton supports a state law requiring Texas public school classrooms to display donated copies of the Ten Commandments. Wikipedia states that Texas Senate Bill 10, passed on May 28, 2025, and signed into law on June 21, 2025, requires all public schools in the state to include the Ten Commandments in the classroom.