Are the polls underestimating Republicans? Most definitely not in Texas!

What we have here qualifies as a case in polling malpractice.

According to Real Clear Polling averages for the final few weeks of the campaign for Texas U.S. Senator, Democrat James Talarico Republican held a 2.6 percentage-point lead over Republican Ken Paxton. 

The election day reality:  Talorico smoked Paxton by 12.1 percentage points.

That's 14.7 percentage-point off the mark.  

Headline:  Washington Post, 10/8/2026

Poll averages and election results:  Real Clear Polling

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