Democrat James Talarico has won the Texas Senate race, beating Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton, the Associated Press projected on 3 November.

He will be the first Democratic senator-elect from Texas since 1988, ending a Republican run in statewide office that lasted three decades.

Decision Desk HQ had Talarico on 55.21 percent and Paxton on 43.06 percent, with Libertarian Ted Brown on 1.73 percent.

Paxton won the nomination by beating Senator John Cornyn in a May runoff with 63.8 percent, helped by a late endorsement from Trump.

Talarico, 37, is a four-term state lawmaker from Austin and a former San Antonio middle school teacher. He campaigned on education.

He won the Democratic primary with 52.4 percent of the vote, ahead of Representative Jasmine Crockett.

NPR reported that Talarico tied or led Paxton in most statewide polls from midsummer and raised far more money for most of the year.

He is set to become the youngest member of the US Senate, taking that title from Georgia Democrat Jon Ossoff.

He will take his seat when the new Congress convenes, once the vote is certified in Texas.

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