C I T I Z E N I N T E L L I G E N C E A R C H I V E Senate Race File #010 — Texas Session 2 Update | August 2026 SESSION 2 UPDATE — AIPAC CONFIRMED CLEAN, BOTH CANDIDATES WHAT CHANGED SINCE SESSION 1: TrackAIPAC's candidate-level database shows both Paxton and Talarico at $0 in pro-Israel PAC money — no AIPAC, no DMFI, no JAC, no RJC, nothing. This is the cleanest AIPAC result of any race in the archive so far. Both candidates are noted by TrackAIPAC as self-described "pro- Israel" in public statements, but that is rhetoric, not funding — this file distinguishes the two the same way the NC file does. Texas is one of the most shocking Senate races of 2026. Four-term Republican incumbent John Cornyn was knocked out in his own primary by state Attorney General Ken Paxton — a man who was indicted on felony charges, impeached by his own party, and acquitted in a trial his own wife was barred from voting in. No Democrat has won a Senate seat in Texas since 1988, but fundraising and polling have made this a genuinely competitive race. CANDIDATE A — KEN PAXTON (R) Republican nominee | Texas Attorney General since 2015 | Age 63 | Endorsed by Donald Trump Ken Paxton defeated four-term incumbent John Cornyn in the Republican runoff — the first Texas incumbent senator to lose renomination since 1970. He has never held federal office. His entire record is as Texas AG. THE FACTS — LEGAL & CONDUCT RECORD Criminal Indictment — Securities Fraud In 2015, Paxton was indicted on three felony counts of securities fraud. In 2024, just weeks before trial, prosecutors struck a deal: charges dropped in exchange for 100 hours of community service, ethics training, and restitution to victims. Impeachment — By His Own Party In May 2023, the Republican-controlled Texas House voted 121–23 to impeach Paxton on articles including bribery, abuse of office, and obstruction. Seven of his own senior aides reported him to the FBI. The Texas Senate acquitted him 16–14 — two votes short of removal. His wife, state Sen. Angela Paxton, was barred from voting in her own husband's trial. Whistleblowers & Taxpayer Cost Texas taxpayers paid $6.6 million to settle a whistleblower suit brought by aides Paxton fired after they reported him to the FBI. Divorce — On Biblical Grounds Paxton's wife filed for divorce citing "biblical grounds." He denied the allegations in court but largely avoided the topic on the campaign trail.

THE FACTS — FOLLOW THE MONEY SOURCE NOTES FLAG Pro-Israel PAC money (TrackAIPAC confirmed) $0. TrackAIPAC lists him only as self-described "pro-Israel" based on a public statement, with no PAC dollars attached to that label. CLEAN — $0 confirmed ■ FLAGGED Illegal donations flagged by FEC Campaign faces multiple FEC compliance requests to explain and return donations exceeding $100,000. ■ FLAGGED Lone Star Liberty PAC (super PAC) Spent about $770,000 supporting Paxton and $200,000 opposing Talarico. Fellowship PAC (crypto super PAC) Spent $500,000 supporting Paxton. ■ FLAGGED NOTE Cornyn donors withholding support Traditional Republican donors refusing to back Paxton after divisive primary; major donors reported pulling back entirely per national reporting. NOTE Total raised (through Q2 2026) ~$16.8 million cumulative since start of race — vs. Talarico's $72.0 million. Paxton is massively outspent, roughly 4-to-1. AIPAC MONEY: CONFIRMED CLEAN — $0 from AIPAC or any pro-Israel PAC network. ILLEGAL DONATIONS / DARK MONEY: FLAGGED — FEC compliance issues, super PAC support, crypto PAC money, pattern of using office for donor benefit. ARCHITECT ANALYSIS — KEN PAXTON (updated): The AIPAC question closes clean here — no pro- Israel PAC money at all, a genuinely rare result in this archive. That doesn't change the core picture: his own party impeached him, his own staff reported him to the FBI, and his own donor base is reportedly walking away. The framework does not need to reach for the Israel money angle to make its case on Paxton — the domestic conduct record does that on its own. CANDIDATE B — JAMES TALARICO (D) Democrat | Texas State Representative since 2019 | Former teacher | Age 33 | Austin, Texas James Talarico is a former public school teacher who was elected to the Texas legislature at 27. He has raised a historic $72 million cumulative — the largest Democratic Senate fundraising haul in Texas history — and leads Paxton in current polling. THE FACTS — RECORD & POSITIONS Legislative Record Talarico has served in the Texas House since 2019, focused on public education, healthcare access, and voting rights.

Healthcare Supports expanding Medicaid in Texas — one of a handful of states that still has not expanded Medicaid under the ACA. Supports protecting women's reproductive rights. Campaign Positioning Talarico has framed the race as: "Ken Paxton has a criminal record. I have a legislative record." Controversies Republicans have attacked Talarico on cultural issues — past social media posts, comments about gender, his vegan diet. He said "God is nonbinary," which Trump specifically highlighted in a Truth Social attack. Voters should research these controversies directly. THE FACTS — FOLLOW THE MONEY SOURCE NOTES FLAG CLEAN — $0 confirmed Pro-Israel PAC money (TrackAIPAC confirmed) $0 in PAC dollars. TrackAIPAC notes an endorsement from JAC (Joint Action Committee) and self-describes as pro-Israel, but no money is attached to either. CLEAN Small donors — median $50 97–98% of contributions $100 or less. Donors from all 50 states and 246 of 254 Texas counties. Largest Q1/Q2 fundraising haul in US Senate history for a single quarter. ■ WATCH Lone Star Rising PAC (outside spender) Largest outside spender for Talarico — about $4 million leading up to the primary. Backed by several billionaire donors. This is outside spending, not direct campaign funding. NOTE Total raised (through Q2 2026) $72.0 million cumulative — $23.3 million cash on hand, more than triple Paxton's. AIPAC MONEY: CONFIRMED CLEAN — $0 from AIPAC or any pro-Israel PAC network. JAC endorsement noted but carries no dollar figure. DARK MONEY: WATCH — Lone Star Rising PAC's ~$4M in billionaire-backed outside spending is worth naming, though it is not direct campaign money and Talarico's own fundraising is overwhelmingly small- dollar. ARCHITECT ANALYSIS — JAMES TALARICO (updated): Talarico closes clean on AIPAC, same as Paxton — a genuinely rare double-clean result for this specific flag in a single race. The one honest caveat is Lone Star Rising PAC's billionaire-backed outside spending on his behalf during the primary; it doesn't touch his direct fundraising picture, which remains overwhelmingly grassroots, but it's worth naming so the record is complete rather than only showing the flattering numbers. STATUS: SESSION 2 COMPLETE. Both candidates confirmed clean on the AIPAC flag — a rare double-clean result. Domestic conduct and dark-money pictures remain the operative story for Paxton; Talarico's profile is largely settled pending no further developments.

CHANGELOG (Session 2, August 2026): — Paxton AIPAC status: PENDING → CONFIRMED CLEAN ($0) — Talarico AIPAC status: PENDING → CONFIRMED CLEAN ($0) — Added Lone Star Rising PAC billionaire-backed outside spending note for Talarico (WATCH, not direct funding) — Updated cumulative fundraising totals for both candidates through Q2 2026 "I don't tell you how to vote. I give you the X-ray. You decide." — Uma | PixelMagic / MindTraveler | People Over Party