Staff Reports
President Trump spent another full day in Texas rallying the faithful and making a blunt case for Attorney General Ken Paxton. The news isn’t that he showed up — it’s what he said and who he called out from the stage: Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico. If you want a clear choice between defending Texas jobs and kneecapping the oil industry, last week’s two rallies made the choice simple and loud.
Trump hits Texas for Paxton — loud and on message
At rallies in Corpus Christi and Lubbock, President Trump campaigned hard for Ken Paxton and hammered Talarico for his past comments and policy hints. Trump’s message was basic and deliberate: under Republicans, Texas stands with the oil and gas industry; under Democrats like Talarico, that industry — and the jobs that depend on it — are at risk. He riffed on “drill, baby, drill,” slammed green energy experiments that raise costs, and framed the race as one between prosperity and policies that would throttle Texas growth.
Energy, jobs, and real consequences
The heart of Trump’s pitch was energy policy. Conservatives understand this isn’t just about pumps and pipelines — it’s about family paychecks, school funding, and county coffers. Talarico reportedly said in 2020 that Texas’s oil and gas industry “is not gonna last,” and that line was replayed over and over from the stage. Democrats cheer for green schemes while forgetting that experimental energy transitions have real costs. The president pointed to foreign examples where poor energy choices hurt economies. Voters in Texas know that when energy policy doesn’t work, it’s working families who pay the price.
Culture and character: the other side of the campaign
Trump didn’t stick to energy. He also assailed Talarico on cultural grounds — attending child-focused drag events and making comments the president said amount to radical social experiments. Whether you think the examples were overblown or not, the argument cuts to character and public values. For many Texans, who value faith and family, these issues are as important as economic ones. Trump used plain talk and a little sarcasm to make his point: this race is about more than policy memos. It’s about who will protect Texas’ norms and children from reckless cultural experiments.
Why Paxton — and why this matters
Ken Paxton showed up with gratitude and with the usual Republican playbook: defend jobs, defend the state, fight federal overreach. Paxton’s record at the Texas attorney general’s office is what the campaign highlights — suing federal overreach, backing energy, and standing with Texas businesses. The rallies were also a reminder that national heavyweights — Ted Cruz, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and President Trump — are all invested in this fight. For Republicans, that unity matters. Winning Texas Senate seats keeps policy common sense alive in Washington and sends a message that states still run their own affairs.
The takeaway for conservatives is straightforward: this is a clear choice election. Voters will decide whether Texas doubles down on energy jobs, local control, and traditional values — or experiments with policies that promise utopia and deliver higher costs. If Republicans want to hold the line, they need to show up. That’s what these rallies were about: turning talk into turnout and protecting the Texas way of life.
