Fox News said it will host a Texas U.S. Senate debate between Ken Paxton and James Talarico if both nominees commit, after Paxton passed on earlier invitations and drew pressure even from his own side.
A Fox News spokesperson said Tuesday the network will move forward only if both candidates agree to appear, the Houston Chronicle reported.
The conditional offer lands in a neck-and-neck race for Senate and follows weeks of public prodding from Democrat James Talarico, plus an unusual push from a Republican who once helped lead Paxton’s impeachment inquiry and now backs his campaign.
Fox framed the decision around voters, not stagecraft.
A network spokesperson said debates best serve voters and the democratic process when both candidates take part so people can compare positions on the issues.
"We will move forward with the debate if both candidates commit to appearing."
The statement was first reported by the Huffington Post and confirmed in the Chronicle’s coverage. Paxton’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.
Last week, Talarico publicly challenged the Republican attorney general to debate and said he would meet Paxton even in what he called Paxton’s “safe space.”
Speaking at the Texas Tribune Festival, the Democratic nominee cast the invitation as a test of confidence, not format.
"I’ll go into the lion’s den, because I know what I believe. I am proud of my record, and I’m not afraid of hard questions."
His campaign later posted a video of Talarico appearing to leave a voice message on Paxton’s personal cell phone, inviting him to the debate.
Paxton has not accepted several debate invitations so far.
Those came from Hearst Newspapers and NBC/Telemundo, from Nexstar and Austin affiliate KXAN, and from Dallas’ WFAA and parent company TEGNA. His campaign previously said he was willing to debate Talarico, but not on Talarico’s terms. The Chronicle did not detail what those terms were.
No date, time, format, or location for a Fox debate has been announced. The offer remains conditional on both men saying yes.
The pressure is not only coming from Democrats.
On Friday at the same Texas Tribune Festival, state Rep. Jeff Leach said Paxton should face Talarico. Leach was an impeachment manager who helped lead the 2023 inquiry against Paxton. He has since joined Paxton’s Senate campaign.
"I personally believe, for what it’s worth, that General Paxton needs to get on a debate stage with James Talarico."
Leach tied the choice to a basic conservative posture.
"We conservatives do not run from a fight. We shouldn’t at least, and so I’m hopeful that that will happen."
Polls show the Texas Senate contest is neck-and-neck, though the reporting did not cite specific numbers. In a race that tight, voters get the clearest comparison when both nominees stand in the same room, answer the same questions, and defend their records in real time. Fox has offered the stage. The next move belongs to the candidates.
Conservatives who trust their record should welcome the lights, not bargain them away. Texans deserve to hear both men make their case without filters or excuses.
