In Texas, Democrats have tried it all. They’ve raised piles of money, grabbed national headlines, and made their case in every one of the state’s 254 counties. And election after election, they’ve come up empty.
This time, state Rep. James Talarico is taking a different swing. The young Democratic lawmaker and Presbyterian seminarian isn’t shying away from what sets him apart—he’s talking openly about his faith and how it drives his politics. It’s a bet that a new kind of pitch might finally crack a decades-long losing streak.
Last month, Talarico jumped into the race for the seat held by Republican Sen. John Cornyn, joining a primary that includes former Texas Rep. Colin Allred, who lost to Sen. Ted Cruz in last year’s election. At 36, Talarico, a former teacher, insists he can do what no Democrat has done in more than three decades: win statewide in Texas.
He faces a climb for the nomination, though. Many polls have Allred ahead, but Talarico has signs of momentum. A September survey from Public Policy Polling found that among voters with favorable views of both men, Talarico led by 50 percentage points.
Former Rep. Colin Allred of Texas, shown in 2019.
Fundraising tells a story too: He pulled in $6.2 million in his first three weeks—blowing past Allred’s $4.1 million haul over three months.
Talarico made his name in 2018, when he flipped a state House seat outside Austin. He walked the length of his district in a single day, held three town halls along the way, and livestreamed the whole thing. That scrappy, in-the-trenches approach is how he says Democrats can win statewide.
Talarico, who’s amassed more than 1.4 million followers on TikTok, says his campaign will combine grassroots organizing with digital reach.
“This thing is just getting started,” he told Daily Kos from Victoria, Texas, en route to the Rio Grande Valley for campaign stops. “We’ll be using our social media platforms, but we’ll also be on traditional media and meeting people in every corner of the state. We’re going to leave no stone unturned.”
No Democrat has cracked the code in Texas in more than 30 years. Talarico is betting faith, grit, and a relentless ground game can change that.
This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
Daily Kos: Polls show former Texas Rep. Colin Allred is more well-known than you, because he has run statewide before. What do you tell voters who want to know the key policy differences between you two?
James Talarico: I’m definitely the outsider in this race. I’ve said before that I consider myself the underdog, both in the primary and in the general election, and that’s why I’m barnstorming across the state. I’m going to every part of the state, introducing myself to folks, and trying to earn their trust and support.
I’m sharing my record in the state House, where I fought to lower the costs of prescription drugs, housing, and child care—all issues I plan to champion if I’m elected as the next U.S. senator.
I’m not very familiar with all of Colin’s policy positions, but I do like him a lot. I consider him a friend and have campaigned with him. In this race, I’m putting forward my values, my vision, my experiences, and why I believe I’m suited for this moment. I’m running a positive race in the primary—not against Colin, but for myself and the people of the state.
DK: Do you think it’s a different type of energy you’re bringing to the race that you believe is necessary for Democrats to finally flip a statewide seat in Texas?
Talarico: I hope we’re bringing a lot of energy to this race because we desperately need it in our politics right now. We also need a little bit of hope. I feel like people are just really feeling beaten down in this current environment. It’s scary, dark times.
What we’re trying to provide people is just a little bit of positivity and optimism about what we can do together. I think it’s, hopefully, refreshing for people to get a glimpse of a different kind of politics from what we’ve all been suffering under for the last 10 years.
“If you want a leader who can be both tough and compassionate, you should hire a middle school teacher,” Talarico told Daily Kos.
DK: You gained national acclaim for appearing on Joe Rogan’s podcast. How do you balance your progressivism with listening to “the other side”?
Talarico: That’s what I’ve had to do in the state legislature. I need to work across the aisle whenever possible, to get things done for the people of the state. I’ve passed major bills with my Republican colleagues in the legislature on health care, education, housing, and child care. But I’ve also had to stand up to my Republican colleagues when they’re trying to hurt the people of the state.
I’m the kind of leader who can both take a stand and get things done. I’ve joked on the stump that if you want a leader who can be both tough and compassionate, you should hire a middle school teacher. That’s exactly what I did in the classroom. It’s what I have done in the legislature, and it’s exactly what I would do if I’m elected to the U.S. Senate.
DK: Modern Democrats struggle to appeal to many Christian voters. According to The Pew Research Center, two-thirds of Texan adults identify as Christian. How can you win these voters back from Republicans?
Talarico: We lost [former President] Jimmy Carter at the end of last year, and he was perhaps the last Democratic national figure who openly and often spoke about his faith. We need to make space in our party for people of faith and, in particular, for Christians. Faith is central in my life. It’s why I chose to pursue public service. Therefore, I will speak openly about it and won’t be ashamed to do so on the campaign trail.
At the same time, I want to ensure that people of various faiths—Jews, Muslims, Sikhs, as well as atheists, agnostics, and Buddhists—feel welcome in this campaign. I hope my faith can serve as a bridge rather than a barrier. That’s the goal of this campaign.
DK: Trump says he’s a nondenominational Christian. How does your faith differ from the expressions of faith put forth by Trump and those around him?
Talarico: I don’t know his personal religious beliefs or practices, but I believe there’s one issue that troubles many Christian voters, especially evangelical voters. That’s how the president has handled undocumented people who have been part of our communities for decades.
We all want a secure border and a sensible immigration system. However, most people also want to respect community members who have been here a long time, built businesses, and contributed to our neighborhoods. There is a strong tradition within Christianity, especially among American evangelicals, of welcoming strangers—probably the most common commandment in our faith and scriptures.
Many evangelicals, including conservatives, do significant work on the border and mission work in Latin America. I believe they are deeply troubled by how this administration has treated the stranger. It is possible to have a secure border while respecting the dignity of all human beings, particularly those who have been in the country for a long time.
If I am elected, I hope to find a middle ground on this issue—pushing for immigration reform and border security while still respecting and welcoming those who are here.
DK: Specifically, what changes would you like to see made regarding immigration and border security?
Talarico: Well, I’ve often said that the border should be like our front porch. We should have a giant welcome mat and a lock on the door. Again, we’ve been told that these are mutually exclusive policy goals, and I reject that false binary. You can do both.
You can have an immigration system with enough immigration judges and a reformed asylum process, where we welcome those who want to come here and contribute, those seeking to live their American dream, while also ensuring public safety. If there are individuals who wish to do us harm or commit violent crimes, then those people should be kept out of the country. And if they are here, they should be deported immediately. These are goals that most Texans—and most Americans—share, and I will pursue both if I am elected to this position.
“As Texas Democrats, we are in the minority, but we still utilized every tool at our disposal, including a quorum break, which drew national attention to the issue and motivated the country to respond,” Talarico told Daily Kos.
DK: You’ve mentioned in past interviews that the Democratic Party “has forgotten how to fight.” What does fighting look like to you, especially if Democrats remain in the Senate minority?
Talarico: You must be willing to use every tool available. That’s what my colleagues and I did in the legislature over the summer when the Republican majority tried to redraw our political maps in the middle of the decade to avoid accountability at the ballot box next year. As Texas Democrats, we are in the minority, but we still utilized every tool at our disposal, including a quorum break, which drew national attention to the issue and motivated the country to respond. That is the kind of fighting spirit I would bring to the Senate. I would keep all options open, fight to the fullest extent allowed by the rules, and stand up to bullies when they threaten to harm Texas.
The tools will differ depending on the office. Naturally, I mastered the rules as a state representative. I’ll do the same if I get elected to the Senate. Some of these rules can be pretty obscure. For example, a quorum break isn’t a tool that’s used often in the legislature, and similar laws exist in the Senate. I believe people can rely on me to utilize every available tactic to fight for them, for the Constitution, and for the country.
DK: Why do you think 2026 will be different for Democrats in Texas, where the party hasn’t won a statewide election since the ’90s?
Talarico: There’s increasing backlash across the state and country against the extremism seen at both the national and state levels. Texans have been living under one-party rule for several decades now, and in 2026, that will extend from the state House all the way to the White House. I believe there’s a desire for a check on that power because one-party rule—whether by Democrats or Republicans—tends to lead to extremism and corruption, and this has undoubtedly been true under the current one-party dominance.
My party often talks about turning Texas blue. Republicans focus on keeping Texas red. Honestly, I think the best color for Texas is purple. I believe she would look great in purple because that kind of competition makes everyone—politicians included—work harder for every vote. It forces them to stay alert and develop policies that genuinely benefit people, rather than just doing the bidding of billionaire megadonors or extremists within their parties.
Competition is a good thing in business, sports, and politics. I hope we can have a competitive statewide election in 2026 and break this one-party rule, finally holding elected officials accountable.
