Texas state Rep. James Talarico announced Tuesday that he will run for U.S. Senate in Texas, setting up a competitive Democratic primary in a red state the party is hoping to put in play next year.
Talarico, 36, has been billed as a rising Democratic star and was one of the party’s leading voices in Texas’ redistricting fight this summer. He also garnered national attention after appearing on Joe Rogan’s podcast in July.
In a video launching his campaign, Talarico pitches himself as both a uniter and a fighter who will stand for working people, and frequently mentions his Christian faith.
“We’re underdogs in this fight. We’re going up against those billionaire megadonors and their puppet politicians. We’re going up against a rigged system. And we’re going up against a lot of money,” he says in the video.
Talarico also references his grandfather — a Baptist preacher who “taught me that we follow a barefoot rabbi who gave two commandments: love God and love neighbor.”
“Two thousand years ago, when the powerful few rigged the system, that barefoot rabbi walked into the seat of power and flipped over the tables of injustice,” he continues. “To those who love this state, to those who love this country, to those who love our neighbors: it’s time to start flipping tables.”
Talarico joins another prominent Democrat, former U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, in the race for the seat held by Sen. John Cornyn, a Republican, who is facing a fierce primary challenge from state Attorney General Ken Paxton. Texas hasn’t elected a Democrat to the Senate in nearly four decades.
In an interview with NBC News, Talarico said the Democratic Party was in desperate need of new voices.
“I think what I bring is something a little different. I think the country is looking for a reset in the Democratic Party. They’re looking for something new, something fresh, something different and I think that’s what I can provide,” Talarico said.
“I am very willing to speak hard truths to my own party and stand up to my own party when it’s wrong, because that’s the only way that this party will change, and it’s the only way it’ll start winning elections and improving people’s lives again,” he added.
Talarico said that he’s “used to being the underdog,” pointing out that he flipped an Austin-area state House district when he was first elected in 2018, and “very used to proving people wrong.”
A former middle school teacher who aspires to become a pastor, Talarico has spoken prominently about his Christian faith, typically more a hallmark of candidates on the political right.
He told NBC News that he planned to position his campaigning style around a more compassionate message that contrasts with the bruising politics of the Trump era.
“People are really desperate for a new kind of politics. It’s been 10 years of politics as blood sport, politics as professional wrestling. And I get the sense from people I’ve talked to across the political spectrum that we all hate how this feels,” Talarico said. “I really do believe that people are hungry for something different. They’re hungry for sincerity and honesty and compassion — timeless, eternal values that every single parent, whether they’re a Democrat or Republican, passes on to their kids.”
Several high-profile Democrats in Texas have had their eyes on the Senate race.
Talarico, Allred, former Rep. Beto O’Rourke and Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, met in the spring to discuss who would be the strongest candidate, Talarico, as well as one person familiar with the meeting, confirmed to NBC News. But the meeting ended with no resolution because all participants felt they were the best option. (The Dallas Morning News first reported on details of the meeting.)
Talarico told NBC News that he, O’Rourke and Castro “continued conversations” on that topic “throughout the summer,” but that Allred did not participate in any of the additional talks after the initial one. Allred announced his candidacy July 1. An Allred campaign spokesperson declined to comment on any meetings between any of the Texas Democrats.
Talarico said he made the decision to run over Labor Day weekend.
Meanwhile, a source familiar with O’Rourke’s thinking told NBC News that he hadn’t yet ruled out running in the 2026 race.
“Beto has not taken anything off the table and will continue to do everything he can to be helpful to his fellow Texans,” the source said. During just the last two months, O’Rourke held more than 30 events, including organizing events throughout every region of Texas.
A Castro spokesperson didn’t respond to questions from NBC News.
In a statement, Allred said that he has “never taken anything for granted in life or 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 life more expensive for hardworking Texans. 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,” he continued.
Democrats have long sought to flip a U.S. Senate seat in Texas. O’Rourke came within 2.6 percentage points of beating Sen. Ted Cruz in 2018. But six years later, Cruz defeated Allred by 8.5 points as Donald Trump carried the state by nearly 14 points.
But Democrats see a potential opening next year, particularly if Paxton, who has faced a series of legal issues, defeats Cornyn and advances to the general election. They also hope the national backlash to Texas Republicans’ passage of a new congressional map could boost their prospects.
Talarico, whose TikTok account already has more than 1.2 million followers, burst onto the national scene over the summer when he sat down with Rogan, who has grown in popularity particularly among conservatives and who endorsed Trump in the 2024 race, on his podcast.
During their more than two hours together, Rogan lauded Talarico, saying, “You need to run for president.”
While Talarico’s name recognition has soared in recent months, he has not yet proven he can build a statewide operation, unlike Allred and O’Rourke.
But Talarico said he wasn’t scared off by the prospect of a tough primary.
“Primaries can be healthy and productive, and can end up making everyone stronger in the process,” he said. “I hope that’s true for this primary as well.”
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