Chip Roy Weighs In as Texas Senate Race Heats Up

Rep. Chip Roy/ Texas Politics

With less than 50 days until the midterm elections in November, members of Congress will be leaving Washington, D.C., this week with a new focus on the high-stakes election.

Democrats must flip four seats to take back the Senate, and the battleground state of Texas is set to be one of the races to watch.

In an interview with Texas Politics, Representative Chip Roy (R-TX) weighed in on what his party should be focusing on during their time campaigning at home.

“We’re dealing with some variables. Interest rates, gas prices, things that really impact the average American family,” Rep. Roy said. “We just got to get out there and message that we will do what we said we will do, and you’ve gotta give us some more time to straighten out some of those things.”

Rep. Roy, who is not up for reelection, said Republicans have some races that are closer than expected.

“If I’m being honest, there are races right now that are closer than they should be,” he said. “But on the flip side, a lot of races are all within the margin of striking distance.”

Since the primary election in May, Senate nominees James Talarico (D-TX) and Ken Paxton (R-TX) have remained no more than a few points apart. But with a recent surge in socialist and progressive candidates, some have raised concerns about the Democratic Party’s electoral strategy.

Rep. Roy said he thinks most Democrats will focus on running as moderates rather than leaning into more extreme positions.

“Of course they are,” Rep. Roy said. “Same with some Republicans, to be honest with you. This is a general election. You can see it now with Talarico in Texas.”

Rep. Roy said Talarico has become less vocal on some of the socialist-aligned messaging he pushed years ago, including supporting gender-affirming care for transgender minors. Talarico’s position on this issue has continued to draw criticism from conservative voters in the Lone Star State.

“He’s pulling back on all those things,” Rep. Roy said. “But when they say it the first time, you should believe them.”

Payton Anderson

Payton Anderson is a reporter for Texas Politics based in Washington, D.C., where she's pursuing her bachelor's degree in journalism at American University. Originally from California, Payton's reporting experience spans all avenues of digital and multimedia publishing. In her free time, she enjoys playing soccer and being outdoors.