Texas State Rep. James Talarico, 36, has launched a Democratic primary campaign for the U.S. Senate, challenging former Rep. Colin Allred. A progressive Christian with a large social media following, Talarico is running on an anti-billionaire platform. The winner will likely face the victor of a contentious Republican primary between incumbent Sen. John Cornyn and Attorney General Ken Paxton in a state that has not elected a Democratic senator in decades.
Talarico Senate campaign launch
- ▪Talarico is a former middle school teacher who taught in San Antonio and aspires to become a pastor
- ▪Talarico has amassed over 1.2 million followers on TikTok, where clips of him condemning Republican policies have gone viral
- ▪Texas state Rep. James Talarico, 36, announced on September 9, 2025, that he is running for the U.S. Senate
- ▪He gained national attention after an appearance on Joe Rogan's podcast in July, where Rogan suggested he should run for president
- ▪Talarico's campaign focuses on opposing "billionaire megadonors" and a "rigged system."
- ▪In the Texas Legislature, Talarico passed bills to cap insulin co-pays and to ensure public schools have the overdose reversal drug Narcan
- ▪First elected in 2018 at age 29, Talarico flipped a Republican-leaning state House district before moving to a solidly Democratic one after redistricting in 2021
Democratic primary competition
- ▪Former U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke and U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro are also still considering entering the race
- ▪Colin Allred, who announced his candidacy on July 1, was the party's 2024 Senate nominee who lost to Sen. Ted Cruz by 8.5 points
- ▪Emily Cherniack, founder of the group New Politics, criticized Colin Allred as a "D.C. consultant candidate that... already spent $94 million and lost."
- ▪Talarico joins a Democratic primary that includes former U.S. Rep. Colin Allred and retired NASA astronaut Terry Virts
Faith-based campaign messaging
- ▪He opposed a Texas law requiring the Ten Commandments to be displayed in public schools, arguing it was not what his religion was about
- ▪In his campaign launch video, Talarico referenced Jesus flipping "the tables of injustice" as a model for his campaign
- ▪James Talarico, a devout Christian, earned a master's degree in theology from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary
Texas Senate race context
- ▪The U.S. Senate seat is currently held by four-term Republican incumbent John Cornyn
- ▪Texas has not elected a Democrat to a statewide office since 1994, including for the U.S. Senate
- ▪Beto O'Rourke came within 2.6 percentage points of defeating Sen. Ted Cruz in 2018
- ▪In response to the campaign launch, Sen. John Cornyn's campaign called Talarico "another radical left-wing Democrat."
- ▪Sen. John Cornyn faces a primary challenge from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who Democrats view as a potentially vulnerable general election opponent
Democratic coordination discussions
- ▪In the spring, Talarico, Colin Allred, Beto O’Rourke, and Joaquin Castro met to discuss who would be the strongest Democratic candidate
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