Photo: Jeff Cohen via Facebook
Texas Democrats Are Fired Up — And Leander Showed It
The energy was unmistakable.
On Sunday, Democratic U.S. Senate nominee James Talarico brought his “People vs. Ken Paxton Tour” to Leander, drawing hundreds of supporters to Williamson County for one of the most closely watched Senate races in the country.
Speaking to the crowd, Talarico declared, “They’re afraid of this movement we are building. They’re afraid of crowds like this in Leander, Texas.” The former state representative and Presbyterian seminarian has been packing venues across the state since Paxton clinched the GOP nomination last Tuesday. His campaign says it has recruited more than 45,000 volunteers committed to flipping Texas blue for the first time in a generation.
The enthusiasm is real and cross-partisan. Talarico told CBS News, “I can’t tell you the number of people who’ve come up to me at the end of these events and whisper, ‘I’m not a Democrat,’ like they’re in the witness protection program. I think we’re reaching people who don’t normally vote for Democratic candidates.”
At the Leander stop, Talarico sharpened his central message: “I have a legislative record. Ken Paxton has a criminal record.” He has hammered Paxton relentlessly over the attorney general’s 2023 impeachment by the Texas House on charges including bribery and abuse of power, though Paxton was ultimately acquitted by the Texas Senate.
Republicans, for their part, aren’t holding back.
At one of his early post-primary rallies, Paxton solicited derogatory nicknames for Talarico from the audience. The suggestions flowed freely — “Low-T Talarico,” “Tofu Talarico,” “Tala-freak-o.”
During his primary victory speech, Paxton called Talarico “a vegan who thinks God is non-binary and that there are actually six biological sexes” — though Talarico has repeatedly denied being vegan. Talarico fired back with characteristic wit: “I’m not a vegan. I’m an eighth-generation Texan. I’ve been eating barbecue since before Ken Paxton’s first indictment.”
Paxton also coined the nickname “six gender Jimmy,” referencing a comment Talarico made in a House committee meeting years ago about gender, while the Republican National Committee piled on, with RNC Chair Joe Gruters warning, “Talarico will regret running for Senate by the time Republicans are done with him.”
Talarico has acknowledged some past statements missed the mark but insists the GOP attacks are designed to distract.
On Fox News Sunday, Paxton claimed Talarico’s “views are so radical, once exposed — now look, he’s trying to walk them back right now.” Talarico’s counter: the attacks are simply “clipping my cringey comments to distract from his career of corruption.”
With 155 days until Texans head to the polls, this race is shaping up to be one of November’s most consequential — and most combative.
Talarico’s next stop on his tour will be today in Plano.
Sources:
- KVUE: Talarico rallies supporters in Leander as US Senate race against Paxton intensifies (June 1, 2026)
- CBS Austin: Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico rallies supporters in Cedar Park, targets Paxton (June 1, 2026)
- Houston Public Media: Democratic voters voice optimism as James Talarico goes on the offensive (May 28, 2026)
- CNN Politics / ABC17News: A ‘vegan’ and ‘Tala-freak-o’: GOP prepares a furious general election messaging blitz against Talarico (May 25, 2026)
- Houston Press: Talarico Kicks Off “People vs. Ken Paxton” Campaign in Houston (May 28, 2026)
- KHOU 11: Ken Paxton and James Talarico sharpen attacks ahead of heated Senate race (May 28, 2026)
- CBS News: Talarico says Paxton is “clipping my cringey comments to distract from his career of corruption” (May 27, 2026)
- KXAN: State of Texas: Paxton, Talarico launch attacks in high-stakes Senate showdown (June 1, 2026)
Early voting begins today in Hutto for the June 13, 2026 Joint Runoff Election.
Jerrel Reynolds (who led the May 2 general election with 42% of the vote) is facing Brandy McCool (who came in second with 24.2%).
Early voting is open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily through June 9, and Election Day is Saturday, June 13.
One person was arrested after a vehicle pursuit following a traffic stop in North Austin Sunday evening after the Austin Police Department stated that they were responding to a crash that was causing lanes to be shut down. (CBS Austin)
A man was arrested and charged after assaulting a CapMetro bus driver in North Austin this month. (FOX 7 News)
Lockhart Police said they are searching for a missing 69-year-old man last seen at midnight on May 30.
That stretch of North Lamar was reopened late last night.
A fire at restaurant Bar Peached on 6th Street on Sunday morning is under investigation.
According to the Austin Fire Department, no one was inside the building at the time of the fire, and no injuries were reported.
A well-known local street performer has died.
Gerry Van King became a staple of downtown Austin in the 1990s and early 2000s, performing his music on a corner on 6th Street. (FOX 7 Austin)
King was interviewed in 1994:
Austin ISD has drawn fierce criticism from educators after backtracking on a promise to protect librarian positions from budget cuts. Employees were notified just one day before summer break that some campuses would be reduced to part-time librarians, leading to accusations that district leadership broke their word. (Austin Current)
Officials in Georgetown are taking another step to secure its future water supply, announcing plans in May to significantly increase the amount of groundwater available to the city.
WEATHER
SUNDAY’S HIGH / LOW TEMPERATURES
AUSTIN-BERGSTROM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
CAMP MABRY
5-DAY FORECAST / AUSTIN, TEXAS
Only one wildfire to report this morning. It’s a small one in Briscoe County and already nearly contained.
Civil rights groups are suing the Department of Homeland Security over alleged abuses at Camp East Montana in El Paso, citing deaths and conditions affecting more than 2,700 detainees.
Texas Top 10 Most Wanted – June 2026
More from Texas Department of Safety.
Karmelo Anthony is charged in the stabbing death of student-athlete Austin Metcalf at a Frisco ISD track meet last year. The now 19-year-old suspect will stand trial for murder after jury selection begins today.
The steady and patrician U.S. senator from Texas is no longer appreciated by the party he helped build. (Austin American-Statesman)
In the lead-up to America’s 250th anniversary, President Trump is spending hundreds of millions of dollars on a major renovation of the nation’s capitol.
David A. Fahrenthold, who has been investigating how the projects have come together, takes listeners on a walking tour of the sites being remade.
The almost billion-dollar plant, praised as a drought-resistant option, wouldn’t provide water until 2029. Opponents cite cost and environmental concerns. (Texas Tribune)
Carnival Cruise Lines, the world’s largest cruise operator, is alerting an estimated 11.5 million current and former customers after a sophisticated cyberattack exposed sensitive personal and financial data, the company confirmed Monday.
More than 800,000 Texans are affected.
SPORTS
It was a massive Sunday for the Longhorns on both the diamond and the dirt, as both Texas baseball and softball kept their championship dreams alive with high-stakes postseason victories.
Here is how both squads fared on Sunday and what lies ahead for them:
COLLEGE BASEBALL: Aiden Robbins delivered a go-ahead two-run homer to lift No. 1 seed Texas over No. 2 seed UC Santa Barbara, 6-4, as the Longhorns won the 2026 NCAA Austin Regional at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Sunday night.
With the victory, Texas (43-13) advanced to the Super Regionals for the 14th time in program history. The Longhorns will face No. 11 national seed Oregon, which swept its way through the Eugene Regional. (Texas Longhorns)
COLLEGE SOFTBALL: Junior first baseman Katie Stewart’s three-run, go-ahead home run in the bottom of the sixth propelled No. 3 Texas Softball to a 3-1 victory over No. 1 Nebraska Sunday afternoon at Devon Park.
Texas advances to the Women’s College World Series Semifinals for the third-consecutive season: a rematch vs. No. 8 Tennessee at 11 a.m. CT today at Devon Park.
The game will broadcast on ESPN. A Texas victory in that game would force a doubleheader vs. the Lady Vols, which would begin at 1:30 p.m. or 35 minutes after the first game concludes.
The Longhorns improve to 49-12 overall and clinched its 22nd ranked win of the season. Texas is 4-0 in elimination games this season. (Texas Longhorns)
MLB: Jack Leiter struck out 10 in 5 2/3 scoreless innings and Ezequiel Duran tripled home two in a four-run first as the Texas Rangers earned their second series sweep this season with a 6-3 victory Sunday over the reeling Kansas City Royals. (Associated Press)
The Houston Astros had some momentum going into their weekend series against Milwaukee, but then lost two of three to the Brewers, including another loss Sunday. Jacob Misiorowski struck out eight in seven innings and Abner Uribe and Trevor Megill completed the three-hitter to lead the Milwaukee Brewers to a 2-0 win. (Associated Press)
ON THE SCHEDULE
The Astros are off today. The Rangers begin a series in St. Louis.
AL WEST STANDINGS
A Monday postcard from Texas.
Visit one of the new prairie dog towns at Mason Mountain Wildlife Management Area in Central Texas. Prairie dogs are key players in healthy ecosystems—they enrich the soil and create habitat for many other species.
