On Tuesday, in one of the most closely watched Senate primaries of the cycle, Democratic voters nominated Texas state Rep. James Talarico to take on whichever Republican emerges from the toxic GOP runoff between Sen. John Cornyn and crooked Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
That choice immediately makes this race real.
Texas is our white whale, perpetually teasing us Democrats with potential competitiveness, only to rug-pull us when the votes are counted. In a normal year, we’d look at this race as an outside chance, the kind of race you might pull off in a fluke. But this year? We don’t have to hope and pray that Texas’ demographics finally deliver that elusive victory. Not when President Donald Trump is doing everything in his power to destroy popular support for him and his party.
Polling averages show Democrats leading the generic congressional ballot by around 5 percentage points, and regular and special elections showing even bigger swings toward Democrats, otherwise comfortably Republican states are suddenly looking competitive.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, left, and Sen. John Cornyn of Texas.
Add in a divided Republican Party—Cornyn fighting for survival against Paxton’s MAGA insurgency—and the conditions for a competitive race are very real.
But favorable conditions matter only if you have the right candidate.
We are lucky to have James Talarico as our candidate, and Daily Kos proudly endorses him.
Talarico has become one of the most compelling communicators in Democratic politics over the past few years. A former public school teacher and current seminary student, he has built a national following through viral speeches and legislative moments that cut through the noise of modern politics.
His message is unapologetically progressive, but it is delivered in language that resonates far beyond the traditional Democratic base.
Instead of avoiding religion, Talarico leans into it. He quotes scripture while arguing that Christian nationalism has corrupted the faith and that the politics of cruelty promoted by the modern Republican Party stand in direct opposition to the teachings of Jesus. That moral framing—combined with progressive positions on issues like abortion rights, equality, and economic fairness—has helped him reach audiences Democrats often struggle to connect with.
Just as important, he brings a cultural authenticity that resonates in a state like Texas. Talarico doesn’t sound like a consultant’s talking points. He sounds like a Texan talking to other Texans about faith, community, and responsibility to one another.
Supporters of James Talarico react as results come in during a primary election watch party on March 3.
That combination has made him a political sensation online, where videos of his speeches regularly go viral and introduce him to new audiences.
Texas’ Democratic voters clearly noticed.
This primary featured two charismatic candidates. Rep. Jasmine Crockett energized Democrats with her fearless willingness to call out MAGA extremism and troll Republican nonsense in ways we base Democrats love, given the historical timidity of our party. She is awesome and has rallied around Talarico, and we hope to see her continue to engage in what she does so well. It’s somewhat tragic that she lives in Texas, and not in a state whose politics would be more amenable to her talents.
If Republicans nominate the scandal-plagued Paxton, whose career has been defined by corruption investigations and far-right extremism, this race could quickly become one of our best pickup opportunities in the country—something Republicans understand given how aggressively they’re trying to convince Trump to endorse Cornyn. And The Atlantic has reported that they may have convinced Trump to do just that.
Related | Exclusive: Does James Talarico know how to flip Texas?
No matter which Republican he faces, Talarico can energize the Texas Democratic base, expand the coalition, and take advantage of a political environment that is increasingly hostile to the chaos and corruption of the Trump-era Republican Party.
It’s been a while, but Texas Democrats have a real opportunity.
Let’s help them seize it!
