2026 elections live updates on final day of midterm voting to determine Senate and House control

Updated on: November 3, 2026 / 6:54 AM EST / CBS News

In dueling rallies the night before Election Day, the candidates for Texas' Senate seat expressed optimism about one of the closest — and most expensive — races of 2026.

Speaking to supporters at a restaurant in Allen, Texas, Republican Ken Paxton noted that most polls show the race is "going to come down to the wire."

Paxton highlighted Democrat James Talarico's partisan loyalties, noting the race could decide which party controls the Senate. He accused Talarico of being a tax-and-spend progressive and — fighting words for Texas — a vegan. He told the crowd: "Texas has never been this close to slipping away."

"I'm not asking you to imagine what I'd do as your U.S. senator. I'm asking you to look at my record, look at what we've already accomplished and then compare that to James Talarico," Paxton said.

At his own concert-style rally in Austin, Talarico predicted that "we are going to shock the nation." His speech was riddled with references to the TV show "Friday Night Lights" and its come-from-behind storylines — nodding to the fact that no Democrat has won statewide in Texas in decades.

Original source: https://www.cbsnews.com/entertainment/