Democratic state Rep. James Talarico defeated Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton in Texas' U.S. Senate race Tuesday, overcoming a deluge of outside money to break the GOP's three-decade grip on the state.

Talarico's victory, a political earthquake unseen in Texas this century, delivers his party its first statewide win here since 1994, ending the longest active streak of one-party dominance in any state.

The U.S. Senate drought for Texas Democrats extended back to 1988 - when Rick Perry was still a Democratic state lawmaker, the Cowboys were coached by Tom Landry and Talarico was not yet born.