James Talarico is running for U.S. Senate to take his fight against corruption to Washington and win power back for working people. Support him directly — donations straight to a candidate are the most effective way to make your opinion count!
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James is an eighth-generation Texan, former middle-school teacher, and Presbyterian seminarian. As a state representative he led the fight against the billionaire mega-donors and puppet politicians who have taken over Texas. Now he's running for U.S. Senate to take that fight to Washington and win power back for working people.
In his own words:
“There's something broken in America. Our economy is broken. Our politics are broken. Even our relationships with each other feel broken. That's because the most powerful people in the world want it that way.
The biggest divide in this country is not left vs. right. It's top vs. bottom. Billionaires want us looking left and right at each other instead of looking up at them… They divide us by party, by race, by gender, by religion so we don't notice they're defunding our schools, gutting our healthcare, and cutting taxes for themselves and their rich friends. It's the oldest strategy in the world: divide and conquer.
But we will not be conquered.”
Hear Talarico's speech at the Texas Democratic Convention, June 27 in Corpus Christi. For more background, here's an interview with Talarico from last October. And on March 4, the day Jasmine Crockett conceded to him after a hard-fought Democratic primary, Talarico recorded this interview, followed by Simon Rosenberg's analysis of the race to succeed Senator John Cornyn.
And on July 16, this interview with Joe Scarborough. Talarico spent July 4 with Willie Nelson — while Paxton was photographed with “someone” in London as the rest of us turned out for our most epic No Kings.
The Opponent
Here's a deeper dive into the vulnerabilities of Ken Paxton, Talarico's corrupt Republican opponent, and a discussion of the campaign's theme: “The People vs. Paxton.” In that same TX-35 special, Democrat Johnny Garcia trounced his MAGA opponent 68.8% to 36.2%. Just as in New Mexico, down-ballot races help everyone else — and vice versa.
Heard the one about the state attorney general voting illegally? Yep — that was Paxton, and that was Texas. See it here. And if a short clip isn't enough, here's a lot more.
The Race
Here is the chair of the Texas Democratic Party describing the Talarico / Paxton race as of May 27. Watch for Chair Kendall Scudder, because Texas could become our next blue state — believe it or don't. Texas is not a red state; it is a voter-suppressed state, and that is a condition subject to elections.
A June 30 NYT/Siena poll has Talarico and Paxton tied — in a state Trump won by 14 points. You'd think a Republican who leaves a primary with Senate leadership on his résumé would have a bank full of money to hand his former rival. But Cornyn just can't bring himself to put real money behind Paxton. Normally you couldn't make this stuff up — but then, this is Texas.
The State
Could Texas become the next blue state? Three pieces take up the question — in the New York Times, Forbes, and Vanity Fair. As the NYT puts it: “Texas is one of the most diverse states in the country, and national polls show Democrats surging back in support among young and nonwhite voters — and especially Hispanic voters.”
Politico reported on July 12 that Hispanic voters are swinging hard away from Trump and toward Talarico — angry over immigration enforcement's disruptions to their communities, businesses, and families.
James Talarico: “Fight the system. Not the neighbor.”