Talarico Calls Paxton, Leaves Voicemail: Will opposing parties meet to debate?

James Talarico personally took his invitation to debate to Ken Paxton’s phone as early voting approaches in Texas.

Democrat James Talarico called Republican Ken Paxton to invite him to a U.S. Senate debate, but reached his voicemail.

Why it matters: Texas begins early voting on October 19, and there is still no confirmed debate between the two Senate candidates.

Talarico Calls Paxton to Challenge Him to a Debate

Ken Paxton keeps dodging debates.

So I called his cell to invite him to a debate on Fox News.

He didn’t pick up. pic.twitter.com/EnaNREE6pH

— James Talarico (@jamestalarico) September 25, 2026

Talarico posted a 40-second video on X on September 25 showing his call to Paxton’s phone.

The call apparently went to voicemail, and in the video shared by the Democrat, Paxton does not answer.

«Texans start voting in less than a month and deserve to hear our opinions before doing so,» Talarico said in the message.

He also stated that his campaign had not received a response and warned that the election calendar is advancing rapidly.

The fact: Talarico proposed holding the debate on Fox News and suggested presenter Bret Baier as a possible moderator.

Paxton Had Said He Would Debate Talarico

In a 40-second video posted to X, Talarico calls Republican Ken Paxton, but the call apparently goes to voicemail — Paxton does not appear to answer. https://t.co/XkVdwcVsra

— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) September 26, 2026

The episode comes after Talarico publicly issued the same challenge during the Texas Tribune Festival.

On September 24, the Democrat said he was willing to debate on Fox News, a network he described as favorable terrain for his rival.

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Paxton’s campaign stated in July that the Republican would debate Talarico and evaluate potential organizers for the event.

However, as of September 24, Paxton had not publicly accepted any of the invitations reported by The Texas Tribune.

The dispute: WFAA had been in talks with the Republican campaign to organize a debate, but reported that it had not received any responses since August 24.

Early Voting Increases Time Pressure

Texas’ official calendar sets October 19 as the start of in-person early voting, which will end on October 30.

The general election will be on November 3, so any potential debate would have to take place within an increasingly narrow electoral window.

Even Republican state representative Jeff Leach publicly asked Paxton to take the stage with Talarico, according to The Texas Tribune.

The call, therefore, adds another chapter to the public pressure for both candidates to confront their proposals before votes are cast directly.

What’s next: As of September 26, no debate between Paxton and Talarico had been announced.

Paxton Continues His Campaign with a Stop in El Paso

As the debate discussion continues, Paxton has a scheduled stop on his «Protecting the Texas Promise» tour in El Paso on September 30.

He is expected to participate alongside Brandon Herrera, the Republican candidate for Congressional District 23 and content creator known as «The AK Guy».

The tour promotes Paxton’s economic plan, which includes proposals for tax deductions related to housing, medical expenses, and healthy living.

For now, the question of a face-to-face meeting remains open: Talarico publicly left his invitation, and it remains to be seen if Paxton will accept the debate before the elections.

Sources: USA Today, The Texas Tribune.