SACHA PFEIFFER, HOST:
Meanwhile, in Texas, early voting in the midterms is underway. The candidates in the U.S. Senate race there are locked in a tight race that could help decide the balance of power in Washington. The Texas Newsroom's Blaise Gainey brings us this report.
BLAISE GAINEY, BYLINE: Cars are parallel parked on each side of the Austin Energy headquarters on a Friday morning. The bike rack is nearly full, and people are walking into the building to cast their ballots. Out walks Miryam Miller. Before heading out, she stops and speaks with me. She says she just cast her ballot for Democratic U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico, a choice she says was based on his character.
MIRYAM MILLER: Yes, we are always trying to find a good vote for honorable people. We definitely feel Talarico is that person that, again, can make us move forward and promote a positive change we definitely need.
GAINEY: Miles away in Corpus Christi, a South Texas coastal city, is Republican voter Greg Graves. He told KEDT he originally supported Senator John Cornyn in the Republican Senate primary but is now fine voting for the winner of that contest, Attorney General Ken Paxton.
GREG GRAVES: Paxton was selected as our candidate, and I'm 100% behind him, as I would any other candidate.
GAINEY: He says Paxton's tattered past is originally why he chose not to vote for him but says he's since put that aside.
GRAVES: Though, Paxton does have some baggage, but tell me a politician that doesn't. And he's done an excellent job as an AG for the state of Texas. He's been out there protecting our values. And we appreciate him for that.
GAINEY: Back in Austin, Talarico voter Benjamin Mercado sees Paxton's record differently.
BENJAMIN MERCADO: It's hard to justify Paxton on any sort of grounds - politically, ethically.
GAINEY: In 2023, Paxton was impeached by House Republicans in the Texas legislature over corruption allegations, then acquitted by the state Senate. At the same time, he was being investigated by the Department of Justice after top aides accused him of bribery and using his office to benefit political allies. Federal prosecutors ultimately decided not to bring forth charges.
In Richmond, a suburb outside of Houston, Terrance McPeters told Houston Public Media that while Talarico and Paxton are both Christian, he thinks Paxton will best protect his values.
TERRANCE MCPETERS: You know, keeping prayer in homes - I'm real big on that. I think that's very important. Keeping prayer in schools, putting God first.
GAINEY: Back at the early voting site in Austin, Alexis Dorn voted for Talarico.
ALEXIS DORN: I'm excited, but I'm, like, trying not to get my hopes up. I got really excited about Beto, so I'm just going to, like, try to keep it cool (laughter).
GAINEY: Democrats have hoped for a blue wave in Texas before only to see a mirage. It's been more than 30 years since Democrats won a statewide election here. For NPR News, I'm Blaise Gainey in Austin, Texas. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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