Paxton and Talarico Hit the Road on Dueling Bus Tours as Early Voting Begins
Paxton launched his "Come and Take It" tour Saturday in Rockwall. Talarico's "Clear Eyes, Full Hearts" tour starts Sunday in Plano. Both end Nov. 2.
The two men running for U.S. Senate in Texas are taking their closing arguments on the road. Republican Ken Paxton started his "Come and Take It" bus tour Saturday in Rockwall, and Democrat James Talarico starts his "Clear Eyes, Full Hearts Tour" Sunday in Plano, The Dallas Morning News reported. Both tours run through Nov. 2, the day before Election Day.
Early voting begins Monday and runs through Oct. 30.
Paxton: "We need your prayers"
Paxton's 18-day tour will make more than 30 stops and end at the Alamo on Nov. 2, The Texas Tribune reported. His campaign listed Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio, Austin, El Paso, Amarillo, Lubbock, Odessa, San Angelo, Abilene, Wichita Falls, Brownsville, McAllen, Laredo, Corpus Christi, Victoria, Tyler and Beaumont.
His closing message leans on his record as attorney general suing opioid companies, Big Tech and the Biden administration. "When they come after Texans," his campaign said, "Ken Paxton goes after them."
"In Texas, 'come and take it' has never been a slogan," Paxton said in a statement. "It's a promise."
At Rockwall Municipal Airport, Paxton told about 200 people, "This race is about defending our country and this great state of Texas," the Morning News reported. "We will be out working, but we need your prayers."
Talarico: one team
Talarico's tour takes its name from the Friday Night Lights motto "Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose," KWTX reported, citing his campaign. The schedule includes Plano, Denton, Fort Worth, Texarkana, Tyler, Houston, Fort Bend, Beaumont, Galveston, Austin, San Antonio, Laredo, Weslaco, El Paso, Lubbock, Dallas, College Station and Temple, ending with a rally in Austin on Nov. 2.
"Texans are tired of being divided into teams — red versus blue, left versus right, rural versus urban," Talarico said. "That's why we're traveling across the state to unite working people onto one team."
North Texas first
Both men chose North Texas suburbs to start, a region both campaigns are counting on, the Morning News reported. The race has drawn heavy spending, including a pro-Cruz PAC's Spanish-language ad buy against Talarico.
Bus tours and slogans are part of the show. The better test is what each man has said and done, and whether it squares with what Texans believe. Asking for prayer is a good start for any candidate; so is living up to it. Before you vote, see what is on every Texas ballot.
Related on Dock Line: Texas Hits a Record 19 Million Registered Voters as Early Voting Opens Monday; Pro-Cruz PAC Launches Seven-Figure Spanish Ad Buy Against Talarico
