Texas Republicans received an encouraging early voting model Thursday, showing a substantial estimated advantage in the state’s critical Senate contest.
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Election analyst E DataGuy reported 2,208,661 early and mail ballots in his October 22 Texas update.
His graphic classified 1,216,110 ballots as Republican and 960,966 as Democratic, with another 16,263 placed separately.
The estimated Republican advantage reached 255,144 ballots, which the analyst described as a modeled firewall.
His post characterized the Senate contest as leaning Republican, reflecting his forecast rather than an official election result.
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The graphic projected Republican support between 52% and 58%, compared with a Democratic range between 40% and 46%.
It also estimated final turnout at 55%, an assumption that cannot be confirmed before the election concludes.
Importantly, Texas does not register voters by political party, so returned ballots cannot establish which candidates received their votes.
The analyst’s classifications are estimates, and his screenshot does not provide the complete methodology supporting them.
The three displayed ballot categories total 2,193,339, which is 15,322 fewer than the reported statewide figure.
TEXAS – 10.22.26
🗳️ 2,208,661 votes in
🔴 Firewall of 255,144
🥇Race is leaning Republican https://t.co/ifJERvYEim
— E_DataGuy (@E_DataGuy) October 22, 2026
The most closely watched battle is between Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton and Democratic State Representative James Talarico in the November 3 Senate election.
The contest will determine who replaces the retiring senator and help shape the balance of power in Washington.
Texas has not elected a Democrat to statewide office in more than three decades.
Republicans nonetheless have organizational resources to communicate with voters and encourage participation before polls close.
Early ballots represent participation, not a certified partisan tally, and additional votes could change any modeled advantage.
The October 22 model offers one potentially favorable Republican indicator, but its projected vote shares remain unverified.
Republicans are also benefiting from an extensive national fundraising operation supporting congressional candidates during the campaign’s final stretch.
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President Donald Trump’s flagship super PAC, MAGA Inc., began September holding nearly $416 million, according to campaign finance reporting.
Federal filings showed the organization deploying nearly $277 million since early September to support Republican candidates.
That figure includes major transfers to affiliated political committees, rather than only advertising purchased directly by MAGA Inc.
The organization transferred $200 million to No Going Back PAC and $25 million to Safety and Affordability PAC.
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Those groups have financed political advertising in competitive Senate and House contests across the country.
Despite the substantial expenditures, MAGA Inc. retained more than $164 million as of October 14.
Those cash balances reflect different reporting dates and should not be added together as simultaneous reserves.
Trump separately said his broader political operation planned to spend more than $400 million by Election Day.
His announced commitment includes advertising, voter contact, rallies, and other election activities, not just super PAC spending.
Their advertising also targeted competitive Senate contests in Michigan and Ohio, where Republicans are defending important seats.
September disclosures included an $8 million contribution from Wynn and $5 million contributions from Hendricks and Schwarzman.
Campaign finance rules permit super PACs to raise unlimited contributions, subject to restrictions on coordination with candidates.
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The National Republican Congressional Committee separately reported raising $50 million during the third quarter of 2026.
It entered October with approximately $61 million available, according to the committee’s fundraising announcement.
Those funds primarily support House campaigns and cannot automatically be treated as resources for Paxton’s Senate campaign.
A large war chest can purchase more advertising, although late bookings sometimes command significantly higher prices.
Democratic organizations and candidates have substantial resources of their own, including major fundraising by Talarico’s campaign.
President Trump on Monday said that if Texas Senate nominee Ken Paxton loses, it will be the fault of incumbent Republican Sen. John Cornyn and conservative commentator Karl Rove.
Trump accused Cornyn and Rove of “doing everything possible to make it hard” for Paxton, the state’s attorney general, to beat Democratic nominee James Talarico. Cornyn lost the Republican primary to Paxton, whom Trump controversially endorsed.
“If Ken Paxton loses, it will be because of WEAK and INEFFECTIVE Political Hacks like John Cornyn and Karl Rove, who have ineffectively opposed me for my entire political career,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
This article may contain commentary which reflects the author’s opinion.
