Texas Senate Race Turns on a Stolen Pen

The footage shows Paxton rummaging through security trays and pocketing the pen, which had been left behind by attorney Joe Joplin. While Joplin eventually recovered the gift from his wife after police intervention, the incident serves as a narrative hook for Talarico’s broader assault on his opponent’s record. The ad concludes with a sharp, memorable jab: "Vote for James Talarico. He won't steal your pen."

Talarico’s campaign is leveraging the clip to underscore allegations of deep-seated misconduct that have shadowed Paxton for years. Beyond the pen theft, the Republican attorney general has faced a 2015 securities fraud indictment—which concluded in 2025 with a no-contest plea and restitution—and a 2023 impeachment trial in the Texas House over bribery and abuse of office allegations. Even Dan Cogdell, the attorney who defended Paxton during those impeachment proceedings, has crossed partisan lines to endorse Talarico. The Democrat argues that Paxton has used his office to balloon his personal wealth by 7,000% while prioritizing donor interests over the needs of Texas workers.