{"id":2254,"date":"2026-08-13T23:12:47","date_gmt":"2026-08-13T23:12:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/?p=2254"},"modified":"2026-08-13T23:12:47","modified_gmt":"2026-08-13T23:12:47","slug":"ken-paxton-gets-some-much-needed-good-news-in-race-against-talarico","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/?p=2254","title":{"rendered":"Ken Paxton Gets Some Much Needed Good News In Race Against Talarico"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n

A fresh poll shows Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton narrowly leading Democrat James Talarico in the must-win Senate race, offering Republicans a much-needed boost in a contest that has increasingly given party leaders heartburn.<\/span><\/p>\n

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An Emerson College Polling\/Nexstar Media survey<\/span> released Thursday shows Paxton with 47% support, narrowly ahead of Talarico at 46%. Another 5% of voters remain undecided, while 2% back another candidate.<\/span><\/p>\n

The one-point difference falls within the poll\u2019s three-point margin of error, making the contest effectively a dead heat. But it\u2019s the first poll to show Paxton ahead since early June, according to <\/span>RealClearPolitics<\/span>, as Republicans worry that low GOP turnout and a Democratic-friendly political landscape could flip one of the reddest states in the nation \u2014 and with it, control of the U.S. Senate.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDespite having a three-month head start and getting millions from out-of-state billionaires with deep ties to Jeffrey Epstein, James Talarico is already losing steam and falling behind,\u201d RNC spokesman Zach Kraft told The Daily Wire. \u201cIt should come as no surprise that Texas wants a MAGA warrior like Ken Paxton over a gender-confused freak like Talarico.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Emerson College Polling Executive Director Spencer Kimball said the Texas Senate race is sharply divided by age, with voters under 50 favoring Talarico by 15 points, 53% to 38%, while voters over 50 back Paxton by 11 points, 53% to 42%.<\/span><\/p>\n

Digging deeper, Paxton holds his strongest advantage among white voters and men, while Talarico leads among most black and Hispanic voters. Talarico holds just a one-point advantage among women after facing<\/span> backlash over his <\/span>views<\/span> on Christianity, <\/span>\u201clove\u201d for transgender children<\/span>, and disdain for the <\/span>American flag.<\/span><\/p>\n

Top issues for Texas voters include the economy (30%), immigration (19%), threats to democracy (14%), and healthcare (13%). Republican voters rank immigration as their top issue (32%), while Democrats (33%) and independents (31%) rate the economy as their top concern.<\/span><\/p>\n

Those issues have not stopped either campaign from diving into hot-button cultural issues as both sides wage a fierce battle for Christian voters who will likely play a pivotal role in November. <\/span>The Texas Tribune<\/span> reported Thursday that Paxton\u2019s and Talarico\u2019s differing views of Christianity have emerged as a defining issue shaping the race in a state where nearly half of voters say faith is \u201cvery important\u201d in their lives.<\/span><\/p>\n

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A pro-Paxton super PAC <\/span>went viral<\/span> after using artificial intelligence to remake Lyndon B. Johnson\u2019s famous \u201cDaisy\u201d ad, depicting a young girl being prepared to undergo a sex-change operation as an AI-generated Talarico stands at the operating table.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe dreams of growing up, falling in love, becoming a mother,\u201d an AI narrator says. \u201cThe trans industry preys on confused children. Irreversible puberty blockers. Cross-sex hormones. Sex-change surgeries.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Talarico, meanwhile, is seeking to make inroads with evangelical voters \u2014 the <\/span>largest religious group<\/span> in Texas \u2014 by touting his Baptist upbringing despite his support for abortion, calling God \u201cnonbinary,\u201d opposing the display of the Ten Commandments in public schools, and his affiliation to a progressive Presbyterian denomination.<\/span><\/p>\n

A <\/span>30-second spot<\/span> features his grandfather: \u201cAs a Baptist preacher in South Texas, he taught me to follow the two great commandments \u2014 love God, and love your neighbor,\u201d Talarico says, suggesting the Gospel message includes reducing the cost of healthcare, housing, and groceries.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A recent Fox News poll found that <\/span>78% of white evangelical Christians<\/span> in the Lone Star State plan to vote against Talarico, despite concerns that Paxton\u2019s personal scandals and marriage struggles could alienate the key demographic.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI truly believe that God just delivered me, not because I am a great person, because God is sovereign and he does what he wants to do,\u201d Paxton said on Lt. Gov. <\/span>Dan Patrick\u2019s<\/span> podcast<\/span>, referring to the unsuccessful 2023 <\/span>impeachment<\/span> effort against him. \u201cI don\u2019t take credit for it; it\u2019s really by the grace of God.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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The Cook Political Report ranks the race as Lean Republican.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A fresh poll shows Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton narrowly leading Democrat James Talarico in the must-win Senate race, offering Republicans a much-needed boost in a contest that has increasingly given party leaders heartburn.An Emerson College Polling\/Nexstar Media survey released Thursday shows Paxton with 47% support, narrowly ahead of Talarico at 46%. Another 5% of voters remain undecided, while 2% back another candidate.The one-point difference falls within the poll\u2019s three-point margin of error, making the contest effectively a dead heat. But it\u2019s the first poll to show Paxton ahead since early June, according to RealClearPolitics, as Republicans worry that low GOP turnout and a Democratic-friendly political landscape could flip one of the reddest states in the nation \u2014 and with it, control of the U.S. Senate.\u201cDespite having a three-month head start and getting millions from out-of-state billionaires with deep ties to Jeffrey Epstein, James Talarico is already losing steam and falling behind,\u201d RNC spokesman Zach Kraft told The Daily Wire. \u201cIt should come as no surprise that Texas wants a MAGA warrior like Ken Paxton over a gender-confused freak like Talarico.\u201d\u00a0Emerson College Polling Executive Director Spencer Kimball said the Texas Senate race is sharply divided by age, with voters under 50 favoring Talarico by 15 points, 53% to 38%, while voters over 50 back Paxton by 11 points, 53% to 42%.Digging deeper, Paxton holds his strongest advantage among white voters and men, while Talarico leads among most black and Hispanic voters. Talarico holds just a one-point advantage among women after facing backlash over his views on Christianity, \u201clove\u201d for transgender children, and disdain for the American flag.\u00a0Top issues for Texas voters include the economy (30%), immigration (19%), threats to democracy (14%), and healthcare (13%). Republican voters rank immigration as their top issue (32%), while Democrats (33%) and independents (31%) rate the economy as their top concern.Those issues have not stopped either campaign from diving into hot-button cultural issues as both sides wage a fierce battle for Christian voters who will likely play a pivotal role in November. The Texas Tribune reported Thursday that Paxton\u2019s and Talarico\u2019s differing views of Christianity have emerged as a defining issue shaping the race in a state where nearly half of voters say faith is \u201cvery important\u201d in their lives.A pro-Paxton super PAC went viral after using artificial intelligence to remake Lyndon B. Johnson\u2019s famous \u201cDaisy\u201d ad, depicting a young girl being prepared to undergo a sex-change operation as an AI-generated Talarico stands at the operating table.\u201cShe dreams of growing up, falling in love, becoming a mother,\u201d an AI narrator says. \u201cThe trans industry preys on confused children. Irreversible puberty blockers. Cross-sex hormones. Sex-change surgeries.\u201dTalarico, meanwhile, is seeking to make inroads with evangelical voters \u2014 the largest religious group in Texas \u2014 by touting his Baptist upbringing despite his support for abortion, calling God \u201cnonbinary,\u201d opposing the display of the Ten Commandments in public schools, and his affiliation to a progressive Presbyterian denomination.A 30-second spot features his grandfather: \u201cAs a Baptist preacher in South Texas, he taught me to follow the two great commandments \u2014 love God, and love your neighbor,\u201d Talarico says, suggesting the Gospel message includes reducing the cost of healthcare, housing, and groceries.\u00a0A recent Fox News poll found that 78% of white evangelical Christians in the Lone Star State plan to vote against Talarico, despite concerns that Paxton\u2019s personal scandals and marriage struggles could alienate the key demographic.\u00a0\u201cI truly believe that God just delivered me, not because I am a great person, because God is sovereign and he does what he wants to do,\u201d Paxton said on Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick\u2019s podcast, referring to the unsuccessful 2023 impeachment effort against him. \u201cI don\u2019t take credit for it; it\u2019s really by the grace of God.\u201d\u00a0The Cook Political Report ranks the race as Lean Republican.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2253,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2254","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-and-commentary"],"yoast_head":"\nKen Paxton Gets Some Much Needed Good News In Race Against Talarico - Blue Route Journal<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/?p=2254\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Ken Paxton Gets Some Much Needed Good News In Race Against Talarico - Blue Route Journal\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"A fresh poll shows Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton narrowly leading Democrat James Talarico in the must-win Senate race, offering Republicans a much-needed boost in a contest that has increasingly given party leaders heartburn.An Emerson College Polling\/Nexstar Media survey released Thursday shows Paxton with 47% support, narrowly ahead of Talarico at 46%. Another 5% of voters remain undecided, while 2% back another candidate.The one-point difference falls within the poll\u2019s three-point margin of error, making the contest effectively a dead heat. But it\u2019s the first poll to show Paxton ahead since early June, according to RealClearPolitics, as Republicans worry that low GOP turnout and a Democratic-friendly political landscape could flip one of the reddest states in the nation \u2014 and with it, control of the U.S. Senate.\u201cDespite having a three-month head start and getting millions from out-of-state billionaires with deep ties to Jeffrey Epstein, James Talarico is already losing steam and falling behind,\u201d RNC spokesman Zach Kraft told The Daily Wire. \u201cIt should come as no surprise that Texas wants a MAGA warrior like Ken Paxton over a gender-confused freak like Talarico.\u201d\u00a0Emerson College Polling Executive Director Spencer Kimball said the Texas Senate race is sharply divided by age, with voters under 50 favoring Talarico by 15 points, 53% to 38%, while voters over 50 back Paxton by 11 points, 53% to 42%.Digging deeper, Paxton holds his strongest advantage among white voters and men, while Talarico leads among most black and Hispanic voters. Talarico holds just a one-point advantage among women after facing backlash over his views on Christianity, \u201clove\u201d for transgender children, and disdain for the American flag.\u00a0Top issues for Texas voters include the economy (30%), immigration (19%), threats to democracy (14%), and healthcare (13%). Republican voters rank immigration as their top issue (32%), while Democrats (33%) and independents (31%) rate the economy as their top concern.Those issues have not stopped either campaign from diving into hot-button cultural issues as both sides wage a fierce battle for Christian voters who will likely play a pivotal role in November. The Texas Tribune reported Thursday that Paxton\u2019s and Talarico\u2019s differing views of Christianity have emerged as a defining issue shaping the race in a state where nearly half of voters say faith is \u201cvery important\u201d in their lives.A pro-Paxton super PAC went viral after using artificial intelligence to remake Lyndon B. Johnson\u2019s famous \u201cDaisy\u201d ad, depicting a young girl being prepared to undergo a sex-change operation as an AI-generated Talarico stands at the operating table.\u201cShe dreams of growing up, falling in love, becoming a mother,\u201d an AI narrator says. \u201cThe trans industry preys on confused children. Irreversible puberty blockers. Cross-sex hormones. Sex-change surgeries.\u201dTalarico, meanwhile, is seeking to make inroads with evangelical voters \u2014 the largest religious group in Texas \u2014 by touting his Baptist upbringing despite his support for abortion, calling God \u201cnonbinary,\u201d opposing the display of the Ten Commandments in public schools, and his affiliation to a progressive Presbyterian denomination.A 30-second spot features his grandfather: \u201cAs a Baptist preacher in South Texas, he taught me to follow the two great commandments \u2014 love God, and love your neighbor,\u201d Talarico says, suggesting the Gospel message includes reducing the cost of healthcare, housing, and groceries.\u00a0A recent Fox News poll found that 78% of white evangelical Christians in the Lone Star State plan to vote against Talarico, despite concerns that Paxton\u2019s personal scandals and marriage struggles could alienate the key demographic.\u00a0\u201cI truly believe that God just delivered me, not because I am a great person, because God is sovereign and he does what he wants to do,\u201d Paxton said on Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick\u2019s podcast, referring to the unsuccessful 2023 impeachment effort against him. \u201cI don\u2019t take credit for it; it\u2019s really by the grace of God.\u201d\u00a0The Cook Political Report ranks the race as Lean Republican.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/?p=2254\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Blue Route Journal\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-08-13T23:12:47+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/?p=2254#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/?p=2254\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"admin\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/19da116f8d79cf8987781569801c6b7c\"},\"headline\":\"Ken Paxton Gets Some Much Needed Good News In Race Against Talarico\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-13T23:12:47+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/?p=2254\"},\"wordCount\":690,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/?p=2254#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/e0e41ba1dcde60e8c11a9582eef8b239-scaled.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"News and Commentary\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/?p=2254#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/?p=2254\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/?p=2254\",\"name\":\"Ken Paxton Gets Some Much Needed Good News In Race Against Talarico - Blue Route Journal\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/?p=2254#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/?p=2254#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/e0e41ba1dcde60e8c11a9582eef8b239-scaled.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-13T23:12:47+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/19da116f8d79cf8987781569801c6b7c\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/?p=2254#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/?p=2254\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/?p=2254#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/e0e41ba1dcde60e8c11a9582eef8b239-scaled.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/e0e41ba1dcde60e8c11a9582eef8b239-scaled.jpg\",\"width\":2560,\"height\":1736,\"caption\":\"HOUSTON, TEXAS - JUNE 12: Shown under red stage lights, audience members applaud as Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton speaks during the Texas GOP convention in the George R. 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Another 5% of voters remain undecided, while 2% back another candidate.The one-point difference falls within the poll\u2019s three-point margin of error, making the contest effectively a dead heat. But it\u2019s the first poll to show Paxton ahead since early June, according to RealClearPolitics, as Republicans worry that low GOP turnout and a Democratic-friendly political landscape could flip one of the reddest states in the nation \u2014 and with it, control of the U.S. Senate.\u201cDespite having a three-month head start and getting millions from out-of-state billionaires with deep ties to Jeffrey Epstein, James Talarico is already losing steam and falling behind,\u201d RNC spokesman Zach Kraft told The Daily Wire. \u201cIt should come as no surprise that Texas wants a MAGA warrior like Ken Paxton over a gender-confused freak like Talarico.\u201d\u00a0Emerson College Polling Executive Director Spencer Kimball said the Texas Senate race is sharply divided by age, with voters under 50 favoring Talarico by 15 points, 53% to 38%, while voters over 50 back Paxton by 11 points, 53% to 42%.Digging deeper, Paxton holds his strongest advantage among white voters and men, while Talarico leads among most black and Hispanic voters. Talarico holds just a one-point advantage among women after facing backlash over his views on Christianity, \u201clove\u201d for transgender children, and disdain for the American flag.\u00a0Top issues for Texas voters include the economy (30%), immigration (19%), threats to democracy (14%), and healthcare (13%). Republican voters rank immigration as their top issue (32%), while Democrats (33%) and independents (31%) rate the economy as their top concern.Those issues have not stopped either campaign from diving into hot-button cultural issues as both sides wage a fierce battle for Christian voters who will likely play a pivotal role in November. The Texas Tribune reported Thursday that Paxton\u2019s and Talarico\u2019s differing views of Christianity have emerged as a defining issue shaping the race in a state where nearly half of voters say faith is \u201cvery important\u201d in their lives.A pro-Paxton super PAC went viral after using artificial intelligence to remake Lyndon B. Johnson\u2019s famous \u201cDaisy\u201d ad, depicting a young girl being prepared to undergo a sex-change operation as an AI-generated Talarico stands at the operating table.\u201cShe dreams of growing up, falling in love, becoming a mother,\u201d an AI narrator says. \u201cThe trans industry preys on confused children. Irreversible puberty blockers. Cross-sex hormones. Sex-change surgeries.\u201dTalarico, meanwhile, is seeking to make inroads with evangelical voters \u2014 the largest religious group in Texas \u2014 by touting his Baptist upbringing despite his support for abortion, calling God \u201cnonbinary,\u201d opposing the display of the Ten Commandments in public schools, and his affiliation to a progressive Presbyterian denomination.A 30-second spot features his grandfather: \u201cAs a Baptist preacher in South Texas, he taught me to follow the two great commandments \u2014 love God, and love your neighbor,\u201d Talarico says, suggesting the Gospel message includes reducing the cost of healthcare, housing, and groceries.\u00a0A recent Fox News poll found that 78% of white evangelical Christians in the Lone Star State plan to vote against Talarico, despite concerns that Paxton\u2019s personal scandals and marriage struggles could alienate the key demographic.\u00a0\u201cI truly believe that God just delivered me, not because I am a great person, because God is sovereign and he does what he wants to do,\u201d Paxton said on Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick\u2019s podcast, referring to the unsuccessful 2023 impeachment effort against him. \u201cI don\u2019t take credit for it; it\u2019s really by the grace of God.\u201d\u00a0The Cook Political Report ranks the race as Lean Republican.","og_url":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/?p=2254","og_site_name":"Blue Route Journal","article_published_time":"2026-08-13T23:12:47+00:00","author":"admin","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"admin","Est. reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/?p=2254#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/?p=2254"},"author":{"name":"admin","@id":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/#\/schema\/person\/19da116f8d79cf8987781569801c6b7c"},"headline":"Ken Paxton Gets Some Much Needed Good News In Race Against Talarico","datePublished":"2026-08-13T23:12:47+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/?p=2254"},"wordCount":690,"commentCount":0,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/?p=2254#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/e0e41ba1dcde60e8c11a9582eef8b239-scaled.jpg","articleSection":["News and Commentary"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/?p=2254#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/?p=2254","url":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/?p=2254","name":"Ken Paxton Gets Some Much Needed Good News In Race Against Talarico - Blue Route Journal","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/?p=2254#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/?p=2254#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/e0e41ba1dcde60e8c11a9582eef8b239-scaled.jpg","datePublished":"2026-08-13T23:12:47+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/#\/schema\/person\/19da116f8d79cf8987781569801c6b7c"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/?p=2254#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/?p=2254"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/?p=2254#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/e0e41ba1dcde60e8c11a9582eef8b239-scaled.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/e0e41ba1dcde60e8c11a9582eef8b239-scaled.jpg","width":2560,"height":1736,"caption":"HOUSTON, TEXAS - JUNE 12: Shown under red stage lights, audience members applaud as Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton speaks during the Texas GOP convention in the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston Friday, June 12, 2026. 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