Texas is rarely considered a political battleground, so why are Republicans spending heavily to defend it? USA TODAY Chief Political Correspondent Phillip M. Bailey explains James Talarico’s rise, Ken Paxton’s vulnerabilities and why affordability, AI, data centers and frustration with Washington are reshaping the Senate race.Let us know what you think of this episode by sending an email to [email protected]. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.