James Talarico called out Ken Paxton during Thursday’s episode of “Morning Joe,” accusing his Republican opponent in Texas of being a “puppet politician” and challenging him to three televised debates.
Paxton, who has served as Texas’ attorney general since 2015, secured the Republican Party’s nomination in the Texas senate race earlier this year thanks, in no small part, to President Trump’s divisive decision to endorse him over incumbent Republican Senator John Cornyn. When Paxton’s primary victory over Cornyn was secured in late May, MS NOW host Joe Scarborough described Paxton as a “unicorn” of “sheer awfulness.”
Scarborough went on to call Paxton’s primary victory a “huge win for Democrats.” On Thursday, Talarico, who is running against Paxton as the Democratic Party’s senate nominee, attempted to capitalize on his opponent’s notorious political record by directly calling him out.
“Ken Paxton’s billionaire handlers don’t let him answer questions in public,” Talarico said. “He hasn’t appeared on a debate stage in more than a decade. He refuses to answer basic questions like, ‘Why did you give an Epstein-style sweetheart deal to an admitted child predator, Adam Hoffman?’”
Ken Paxton’s billionaire handlers won’t let him answer questions in public. It’s why he hasn’t debated in over a decade.
— James Talarico (@jamestalarico) July 16, 2026
But I want him to prove me wrong.
I’m challenging Ken Paxton to three televised debates. pic.twitter.com/4u56zgiVgY
“‘How did you become a multimillionaire on a government salary? Did Tim Dunn and Farris Wilks, your top two billionaire mega-donors, buy an acquittal in your impeachment trial?’ He won’t answer,” he continued. “I think those are very relevant questions.”
Talarico insisted that Paxton does not answer to Texas voters, but instead to his “billionaire mega-donors” and challenged the longtime state AG to prove him wrong before this year’s fall midterms.
“He doesn’t answer to the public because he’s not a public servant. He is a puppet politician, and I want him to prove me wrong,” he said. “We have to be focused on forgiveness and redemption and second chances. So that’s why I am challenging Ken Paxton to three televised debates.”
“I’ll be on that debate stage because I answer to the people of Texas. Ken Paxton answers to his billionaire mega-donors,” Talarico concluded. “We’ll see if they let him show up.”
Talarico and Paxton’s senate race is shaping up to be one of this fall’s biggest political talking points. Talarico is the latest Democrat to lead the party’s ongoing effort to turn Texas blue — or, at the very least, purple. For his party, the onus is on Paxton now to keep his politically pivotal state Republican red.
