A Football Rallying Cry Returns for a Senate Bid
Connie Britton, Jesse Plemons and Adrianne Palicki, all veterans of the NBC drama Friday Night Lights, appear in a weekend advertisement for James Talarico, the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Texas. The spot borrows the fictional Dillon High School football team's rallying cry from the 2005-2011 series, which starred Britton alongside Kyle Chandler, and it opened Talarico's statewide tour ahead of Election Day on November 3.[S1][S2][S3]
The advertisement also includes a brief appearance by Kacey Musgraves, who greets the candidate from the front row around the 56-second mark. The lineup of celebrities drew a mocking label from Laura Ingraham's Fox News program on Monday, which called the group Friday Night Leftists.[S1]
Polls Level as Paxton Counters With Trump and Musk
Talarico, who has served four terms in the Texas House of Representatives, is tied in the polls with Ken Paxton, the Republican Texas attorney general whose career has been marked by legal and ethical controversies. Talarico is seeking to become the first Democrat to hold state office in reliably Republican Texas since 1994.[S1]
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Paxton's side has its own heavyweight support: Donald Trump has endorsed him, Fox News draws a large audience, and Elon Musk has provided more than $190 million to the race. Talarico, meanwhile, has faced controversy over appearances with late-night hosts Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel and has drawn criticism from Musk.[S1]
The Democrat has also made repeated trips to Los Angeles for major fundraisers hosted by experienced donors, including Damon Lindelof and James Costos, a former HBO executive and Obama-era ambassador to Spain. Willie Nelson and Bill Nye have joined his campaign, and The Chicks brought him on stage with them on October 17 in San Antonio.[S1]
A Costly Finish With the Senate in Play
With Democrats within reach of Senate control and Trump's polling numbers described as poor, the Paxton-Talarico matchup stands out as both the most celebrity-studded and the most expensive of the midterms, with more than $500 million spent on advertising alone. Talarico was scheduled in Fort Worth on Monday evening and in Tyler, Texas, on Tuesday as both campaigns enter the final month.[S1]
