Texas voters are staring down one of the most consequential Senate races in the country, and it’s already shaping up to be a fight over money, records, and the state’s political identity. Attorney General Ken Paxton, now the Republican nominee after defeating incumbent Sen. John Cornyn in a bitter primary, faces Democrat James Talarico in a matchup that could determine control of the U.S. Senate.

Paxton entered the race with the weight of an impeachment, corruption investigations, and a divorce that kept him in the headlines. He has framed Talarico as too progressive for Texas, pointing to past comments like Talarico’s statement that God is “nonbinary.” Talarico is betting that moderate Republicans and independents are tired of the controversy, and he’s leaned on a religion-infused populist message. Meanwhile, Elon Musk’s $158 million donation to the Senate Leadership Fund paid for anti-Talarico messaging, a reminder of just how much outside money is flowing into this one race.

With grocery costs and the conflict with Iran weighing on voters’ minds, the mood in Waxahachie and across Ellis County could swing things in ways nobody predicted. Texas hasn’t elected a Democrat statewide since 1994, and whether that streak holds could say as much about our community as it does about Washington.

What do you think this race says about the direction of Texas? Let us know in the comments.