Trump, the Wages of MAGA Sin, and the Dream of Flipping Texas Blue

Ken Paxton is the embodiment of MAGA rage and corruption. Can James Talarico win by transcending Paxton’s Trumpy acrimony?

Only moments after Ken Paxton clinched the GOP nomination in the Texas Senate race on Tuesday, he quickly signaled his intention to run a lofty, issue-focused campaign. By way of characterizing Democratic opponent James Talarico as woke, as a leftist, and—perhaps worst of all in Texas—as a vegan, Paxton derided his foe as “James Talafreako,” “tofu Talarico,” and “six-gender Jimmy.”

This drew roars from the MAGA faithful at Paxton’s victory party, who were excited to see Trump’s endorsement of Paxton over establishment GOP incumbent John Cornyn triumph. But all Paxton’s sandbox barrage actually accomplished was to remind everyone that in this critical Senate race—one that could determine Senate control—Republicans have nominated someone who typifies everything normie voters hate about Trump and Trumpism.

The MAGA rage, the hate, the juvenile name-calling, the bottomless corruption, the seething contempt for public service—Paxton has exhibited all of it as the attorney general of Texas. If there were ever a time that Democrats might pull off a Texas miracle—and make no mistake, it will be very hard—this may be it.

This isn’t just due to the standard reasons we often hear: Trump is highly unpopular, Paxton is deeply compromised, and Talarico is a formidable fundraiser. It’s something more subtle: Paxton’s ugly MAGA credentials provide an unexpected opening for Talarico—a state legislator and seminarian—to play the foil to Trumpism with a new kind of politics rooted in a fresh understanding of our moment: It combines open professions of Christian faith and promises to transcend Trumpian acrimony with kindness and goodwill toward the opposition.

“To Senator Cornyn’s supporters: You have a place in our campaign,” Talarico tweeted after Paxton’s victory, reaching out to Republicans and right-leaning independents across the state.

Talarico’s potential path to victory tells the story. Matt Angle, director of the pro-Talarico Lone Star Project, says that path requires three factors. Talarico must run up sizable majorities in the........

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