Debate disputes take center stage in high-stakes Texas races

AUSTIN, Texas — The Lone Star State is home to some of the most competitive, high-profile, and expensive races of the 2026 midterm elections, but with early voting set to begin Monday, voters have yet to see candidates in several key contests face off on a debate stage.

Democrats have increasingly seized on the absence of debates to attack their Republican opponents, staging events with empty podiums and challenging them to face voters.