James Talarico Enters Texas Senate Race

State Representative James Talarico, a Democrat from Round Rock, officially announced his campaign for the U.S. Senate this morning, pledging to fight divisive billionaires and to bring people together.

“The biggest divide in our country is not left versus right. It’s top versus bottom. Billionaires want us looking left and right at each other so that we’re not looking up at them. The people at the top work so hard to keep us angry and divided because our unity is a threat to their wealth and their power,” he said in a video announcement.

Talarico, who is 36 years-old and a former middle school teacher, was first elected in 2018 by flipping a Republican-controlled seat in the Austin suburbs. In his four terms, he has walked the line: seemingly starting as an ambitious millennial focused on bread-and-butter issues who could appeal to independents and moderates, to an aggressive and progressive Democrat. That evolution occurred as Republicans pushed an increasingly conservative agenda through the Texas House and Senate.

When Talarico started his first term in 2019, the Texas House was under the leadership of Speaker Dennis Bonnen, who wanted to avoid conservative causes like limiting LGBTQ rights and targeting reproductive rights. In that session, he prioritized bipartisan bills focused on school safety, enhancing instructional materials and capping insulin prices.

But in 2021, after Democrats failed to flip the House to their party, a conservative new speaker changed the tenor of the body. Under former Speaker of the House Dade Phelan, the legislature passed the most conservative legislation in history. That was when Texas passed a near-total abortion ban, restricted gender-affirming care to young people, and enacted legislation prohibiting so-called critical race theory in schools. Before that session ended in 2021, Democrats broke quorum in opposition to a strict election (and some would say voter suppression) bill and fled to Washington, D.C. But Talarico returned early, to the consternation of some members who thought he was betraying principles to save his seat. After a redistricting shuffle, he ultimately moved into an open seat in a predominantly racially diverse and solidly Democratic district in Austin with the backing of most of the county delegation. 

As he continued as a state representative, Talarico leaned on his Christian faith. At events throughout the state or appearing on social media, he would often cite his faith as a reason to oppose some of the biggest rightwing causes, like the school voucher bill or the bill mandating the Ten Commandments be displayed in every public-school classroom. 

Clips of Talarico talking about his faith have regularly gone viral. That might be risky, given young Americans are less likely to identify as religious. But, as progressive pastor Doug Pagitt noted in an op-ed in The Hill this summer, Democrats need to appeal to Christians. According to a poll by Vote Common Good and Change Research, 80 percent of Christian voters would vote for a Democrat, including 38 percent who said they have only ever voted for Republicans. "These are the gettable Christian voters that Democrats should be looking to reach," said Pagitt, who is also runs Vote Common Good and helps Democrats connect with religious voters.

Perhaps in a sign of his growing ambitions, Talarico appeared on conservative podcaster Joe Rogan’s show earlier this summer. Until recently, it was widely believed he would run for governor. But as he told the Texas Tribune, he believes his “ability to question witnesses to get to the truth in committee hearings, and my ability to hold colleagues accountable on the House floor and go toe to toe in these debates that are so important — those skills that I’ve developed that, I think, could be put to the best use for the people of the state as a U.S. senator."

Talarico’s youthfulness and made-for-television messaging may serve him well in the primary, where he already faces former U.S. Rep. Colin Allred of Dallas and former astronaut Terry Virts of Houston. Other candidates may jump into the race as well, including U.S. Reps. Jasmine Crockett and Joaquin Castro. Then there’s always the looming specter of former candidate Beto O’Rourke.

Allred is battle tested. He also flipped a longtime Republican seat in 2018. But he lost his race against Senator Ted Cruz by nine points in 2024. Virts is untested. Still, Talarico may face obstacles, from name recognition to his progressive politics even if he wants to appeal to people of all faiths and parties. 

“His support is wide nationally but thin in Texas,” said University of Houston professor Brandon Rottinghaus.

“Being seen as a liberal will help him excite the Democratic base but will be a liability in the general. His ceiling is extremely high. His messaging is soaring and has the potential to reach a national audience. But he can’t ignore Texas. There are certainly those in the Democratic Party who want a more progressive nominee who can align with where the national Democrats are but there are also realists who recognize that a liberal painted nominee is a liability in a general.”

While Democrats have not won a statewide election since 1994, they think they have a chance given the highly anticipated messy and expensive Republican primary. That race pits U.S. Sen. John Cornyn against Attorney General Ken Paxton and possibly U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt of Houston as well. Hunt has not made a decision, but faces calls from national Republicans to not run and instead endorse Cornyn.

But for now, Democrats are focused on winning their primary.

In a statement following Talarico’s announcement, Allred said he’s used to fights. “I’ve never taken anything for granted in life and politics, and this campaign is no exception. I know why I’m running: to lower costs, tackle the affordability crisis head-on and stop corrupt politicians like John Cornyn and Ken Paxton from rigging the system to make like more expensive for hardworking Texans,” he said. “For the next fourteen months, my focus will be on meeting with and listening to Texas families –– all across our state –– to build the diverse coalition we need to win.” 

An Allred candidacy may not excite the base, but a poll released by his campaign shows him with a narrow 49-47 percent lead against Paxton, who is considered the Republican frontrunner, with four percent of voters remaining undecided. And he can count on at least one prominent Texan. “With you all the way my friend, Colin Allred," wrote former Texas State Senator Wendy Davis on Twitter.

Talarico may be a star in the House because he has to be, said Rottinghaus.

“Talarico is successful at playing defense – it’s the way that his entire house career has been since the Democrats have been in the minority,” he said. “The question is can he transition to offense and present a compelling case for why Democrats are better able to handle the state’s problems. That is what his messaging will have to address.”