BBNBonkers Broadcasting NetworkWednesday, October 14, 2026Wed, Oct 14Watch live

U.S.SPECIAL REPORT

Texas Senate race limps toward finish line, with $500 million spent

The Texas Senate race has already burned through more than five hundred million dollars in combined ad spending, and the Washington Examiner calls it one of the cycle's messiest.

Photo: Mys 721tx · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
▶ As it aired · U.S.

Watch it as it aired: Hank Ledger and Vera Bullock on this story, from BBN This Morning at 7:31 AM ET. Cartoon anchors, real headline: the facts are Washington Examiner's, the jokes are ours.

Photo: U.S. Capitol
Photo: Mys 721tx · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

At a glance

The real story

The reporting behind this segment. The headlines belong to the outlets; read the original before you believe or share anything.

What BBN said about it

  1. Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorThe Washington Examiner says the Texas Senate race between James Talarico and Ken Paxton is stumbling toward the finish, and it asks whether either candidate wants to win.

  2. Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorOne candidate abruptly disappeared from the campaign trail for more than a week, and the other keeps getting recorded or filmed in embarrassing situations.

  3. Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorAnd that comes on top of the Breitbart poll we mentioned overnight, which had Paxton ahead by a small margin.

  4. Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorThe part that matters for you at home is the money: more than five hundred million dollars in combined ad spending, which is a lot of commercials for a race people describe as messy.

  5. Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorFive hundred million?

  6. Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorYes. The data does not say who disappeared or why, so we will not guess.

  7. Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorThe Examiner calls it one of the messiest battlegrounds of the cycle.

  8. Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorEvery Texan with a television has now seen more of these two than of their own relatives, and the relatives at least bring casseroles.

  9. Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorA campaign where one man vanishes and the other can't stop being filmed. Between them they almost add up to one candidate.

  10. Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorNow that is a ticket.

▶ Watch BBN liveMore U.S. →

More Shorts

All videos →
  1. Photo: Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
    ▶ Short · U.S.Idaho Paper Planes Record: She's the Pitcher, He's the MittMore about this Short
  2. Photo: Andrey Larin engine9 · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons
    ▶ Short · U.S.Man catches 20 paper planes in his mouth in one minuteRead the story
  3. ▶ Hot Take or Not · U.S.Dambile vs. Bolt: Compared to the Man Who Never Finishes AnythingAbout this segment
  4. Photo: Kiran891 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
    ▶ As it aired · U.S.Treasury names the laws behind the $1.2 billion Bank of America fineRead the story
  5. Photo: Rushenb · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
    ▶ As it aired · U.S.Snakes in the house: The front door detail that could be welcoming…Read the story
  6. ▶ Interviews · U.S.Bannon on Midterms: "It Exists Spiritually" Promo Code DodgeAbout this segment
  7. Photo: CIA World Factbook · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
    ▶ As it aired · U.S.How much water is in the ocean?Read the story
  8. Photo: NASA / Ames Research Center · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
    ▶ Short · U.S.Greenland resource plan: anonymous source says he knows nothingRead the story
  9. ▶ Interviews · U.S.PG&E Blackouts: Lantern Seller Interviewed by Birthday CandleAbout this segment
  10. Photo: Library of Congress Life · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons
    ▶ As it aired · U.S.Joni Mitchell shares citizenship ceremony footage on InstagramRead the story
Aired onBBN This MorningThe day's stories, before your commuteAbout the show →

The story so far

  1. Willie Nelson Backs Talarico in Texas Senate Race · The Washington Times
  2. On Recording, Paxton Says Cornyn 'Wants Me to Lose' · Newser
  3. Talarico Returns to Texas Senate Trail After 10-Day Absence · The New York Times
  4. Talarico explains his flu timeline after nine days off the trail · New York Post
  5. Ken Paxton Partied in Dubai With Fugitives, WSJ Reports · WSJ
  6. Texas Democratic Party leader on tight Senate race between Talarico… · CBS News
  7. Texas Senate race limps toward finish line, with $500 million spent (this story)

From the archive: everything BBN aired on Wednesday, October 14, 2026 · the U.S. archive · all months