KSEV Mornings · November 3, 2026 · Hour 2
Why a Ken Paxton win matters, Alaska’s decoy Dan Sullivan, NGOs and dark money, Orlando Sanchez and Harris County taxes, the James Talarico undercover tapes, and why Democrats have no real solutions.
The James Talarico undercover tapes, Alaska’s decoy Dan Sullivan and Harris County taxes led the second hour of KSEV Mornings on Election Day, as Craig Coglianese and Wayne Dolcefino made the case for Ken Paxton and the Republican ticket and took calls from listeners headed to the polls.
Why a Paxton win matters
Craig said a Paxton win in Texas would be “a lovely message to Democrats that their socialist agenda isn’t actually going to take over a bunch of other places.” He also pointed back to Senator Paul Bettencourt in Hour 1: positive messaging about how good things are has been missing from too many Republican campaigns.
Caller Marco asked why Paxton waited so long to answer the attacks on him. Wayne has said since the show started that Paxton should have done long-form interviews early to knock it down, and after the successful “This is Texas” ad, the campaign should have switched to what Paxton has done for the people of Texas. “If you just say trans all the time and God all the time, it’s gonna work,” Wayne said of the strategy. “And it just isn’t enough.”
Alaska’s decoy Dan
Marco also raised Alaska, where an independent candidate also named Dan Sullivan got on the ballot to pull votes from Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan. Craig said there is “100%” legal jeopardy, and that people aren’t talking about it enough: in his view, a Democratic political machine, including staff around Chuck Schumer and Mary Peltola, planned it out and put the man on the ballot. Peltola and Schumer have said they knew nothing about it, but Craig pointed to text messages from their staff members discussing it. “The Democrats play dirty,” Wayne said, and Republicans need people tough enough to play back.
Turnout in South Texas, and a campaign that assumed it would win
Caller Mike worried Hispanic Republicans in South Texas don’t have the same fervor for Paxton they had for President Trump and could stay home, and said Paxton should never have taken the summer off after the runoff. Craig said Trump is an excellent person to have in a fight, but there was “too much assumed victory” in the Paxton race, and it was arrogance that the money didn’t flood in sooner. Wayne said the campaign didn’t take advantage of free media.
NGOs and dark money
Caller Michael said his bigger worry is NGOs and dark funding for Democrats coming back if they win the House and Senate. Craig agreed it’s a genuine concern: every time Republicans dismantle something, “the snake never dies,” and new versions rise up to funnel the money again. He doesn’t think Democrats will reach two-thirds of the Senate to remove President Trump, and Trump still holds the veto pen. Wayne said the country would make a horrible mistake putting Democrats back in charge, because “we are making progress in so many areas.” He called Trump’s tariffs a “mob play” that told other countries, “you better start putting money back in this country.”
Craig said that if Wesley Hunt had been the nominee, there would have been no baggage to talk about and he would have debated Talarico. Craig said the lack of a debate was a huge mistake, because a debate was the only way to truly hold Talarico accountable for the ridiculous things he has said, including fighting oil and gas. “He’s not running for, like, dog catcher in Salado,” Wayne said. “He’s running for the Senate.”
Orlando Sanchez and Harris County taxes
“If you want higher taxes, let the Democrats win,” Wayne said. “If you elect Orlando Sanchez, he will roll back the tax increase.” Craig said the big shot at Paxton has been “corruption baggage,” and asked whether Letitia Plummer carries the same, and why voters would put her in charge of a county budget at a level that would harm taxpayers the way Lina Hidalgo did. Wayne pointed to her failed businesses: “If you have like four businesses that go under, then you say to yourself, is this the person?” Wayne urged Harris County voters to vote all the way down one of the longest ballots in the state, because “we need Republican judges to send bad guys away.” And if you’re mad at one candidate, he said, don’t stay home, because Greg Abbott, Dan Patrick and Mayes Middleton are on the ballot too. John Cornyn supporters still bitter about the primary need to come on board: “It’s one team versus the other.”
The Talarico tapes
Craig played the O’Keefe Media Group undercover footage released Monday, including Matt Menard, the father of Talarico’s girlfriend, saying Talarico is offended by ICE, and a Democratic organizer saying Talarico will “play the middle ground because he’s in Texas.” Craig said it confirms what he’s been saying: when someone behaves one way for his entire political career and then starts saying very different things in October before a November election, “he’s not telling the truth. This person is lying.” He compared it to a spouse who gets caught again after promising it was just one time: “Eventually, you believe too many lies, it’s on you.”
Democrats have no solutions
Caller Bill said the reason not to vote Democrat is simple: they have no solutions. Craig agreed, saying Democrats name the problem out loud, which more Republicans should do, but then promise everything for free. “The free stuff winds up being the most expensive stuff just a little bit later.” Wayne said Republicans should support families with tax incentives, like helping young people with a down payment, because a whole generation doesn’t believe it will do as well as its parents. Craig, a millennial who just turned 41, said the answer is real opportunity without free stuff, keeping the rewards for hard work and innovation that make America special, and talking about affordability as a reality, not a con job.
The closing message: vote for Orlando Sanchez, Ken Paxton and Mayes Middleton, and save Texas and Houston.
Hear Craig and Wayne live weekdays from 7–9 AM Central on AM 700 KSEV, The Voice of Texas. Visit the KSEV Mornings show page for live-listening controls and more episodes. Listen live weekdays 7-9 AM CT on the KSEV app.
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