Texas Senate, governor debates unlikely before Election Day

With Election Day about a month away, live debates between Texas Senate candidates Ken Paxton and James Talarico appear unlikely, marking a departure from past statewide contests. Instead, the candidates separately answered the same questions from the U.S. Hispanic Business Council on issues including health care, immigration and affordability, giving voters a chance to compare their positions. Talarico emphasized lowering housing costs through streamlined construction approvals and cited his support for Texas affordable-housing legislation; Paxton presented his own economic plan. The race is highly competitive, with one early-October poll cited in coverage showing Talarico narrowly ahead as Paxton faces divisions among Republican voters.