James Talarico
American politician (born 1989)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
James Dell Talarico (/ˌtæləˈriːkoʊ/ TAL-uh-REE-koh, born May 17, 1989)[1][2] is an American politician and educator who has served since 2018 as a member of the Texas House of Representatives. He is the Democratic nominee in the 2026 U.S. Senate election in Texas.
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50th district (2023–present)
James Talarico | |
|---|---|
Talarico in 2025 | |
| Member of the Texas House of Representatives | |
| Assumed office November 19, 2018 | |
| Preceded by | Larry Gonzales |
| Constituency | 52nd district (2018–2023) 50th district (2023–present) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | May 17, 1989 Round Rock, Texas, U.S. |
| Party | Democratic |
| Education | |
| Signature |  |
| Website | Office website Campaign website |
Born in Round Rock, Texas, Talarico graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Arts in government in 2011, and from Harvard University with a Master of Education degree in education policy in 2016. Before entering politics, Talarico was a middle school English teacher and an executive director for an education nonprofit. He is serving his fourth term in the Texas House of Representatives, having first been elected in 2018. While serving in the Texas House, Talarico earned his Master of Divinity at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary.
In 2025, he announced his candidacy for the United States Senate in 2026. He defeated U.S. representative Jasmine Crockett in the Democratic primary and will face the Republican nominee, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in the general election.
Early life and education
James Talarico was born James Dell Collins in Round Rock, Texas on May 17, 1989, to Tamara (née Causey) and Steve Collins.[2][3] Tamara left Steve, an abusive alcoholic, when James was seven weeks old. A few months later she married Mark Talarico, who adopted James and gave him his surname.[4] Talarico attended Round Rock ISD schools and graduated from McNeil High School in Williamson County, Texas, where he competed in speech and debate. He also acted in the school's drama productions, including playing Danny Zuko in Grease.[1] Talarico's maternal grandfather, Jimmy Causey, was a Baptist preacher at several churches in South Texas.[5][6]
Before earning his Bachelor of Arts degree in government from the University of Texas at Austin, he organized students for tuition relief.[7][8] Talarico later earned a Master of Education degree in education policy from the Harvard Graduate School of Education[9] and went on to receive a Master of Divinity degree at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary.[10][11][12]
Career
In 2011, Talarico joined Teach For America, teaching sixth-grade English language arts at Rhodes Middle School on the west side of San Antonio.[13][14] After two years of teaching, he became the Central Texas executive director for Reasoning Mind, a Texas nonprofit focusing on bringing technology to low-income classrooms.[15]
Texas House of Representatives
Talarico was first elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 2018 at age 29, becoming the legislature's youngest member during the 2019 session.[16] During his four terms in a Republican-majority legislature, he served as the lead sponsor of multiple bills, 16 of which became law, including eight focused on education, childcare, or youth workforce development.[17]
First term (2018–2019)
Talarico launched his campaign for the Texas House shortly after incumbent state legislator Larry Gonzales chose not to run for reelection. He won the concurrent special and general elections against Republican nominee Cynthia Flores,[18] garnering media attention for walking the full length of the district.[19] He was sworn into the Texas House of Representatives on November 20, 2018, and appointed to the Public Education and Juvenile Justice Committees.[16]
In the 86th Texas Legislature, Talarico filed the Whole Student Agenda,[13] a legislative package with bills addressing public education policy. Two bills from this list were passed by the legislature: HB 3012, which requires that students suspended from school have an alternative means to receive coursework.[20] HB 455, also sponsored by Talarico, was written to provide a standardized school recess policy. Governor Greg Abbott vetoed the bill.[21]
Second term (2020–2021)
Talarico defeated former Hutto city councilmember Lucio Valdez with 51.5% of the vote.[22] For the 87th Legislative Session, he was reappointed to the Public Education and Juvenile Justice Committees and appointed to the Calendars Committee.[23] During the 87th legislative session, Talarico filed HB 54, also known as Javier Ambler's Law, and the legislature passed it. It prohibits state law enforcement agencies, except game wardens, from entering into contracts with reality TV shows that film them in the line of duty.[24] This was in response to the role Live PD is alleged to have played in the killing of Javier Ambler by Williamson County, Texas police. Talarico had previously criticized Sheriff Robert Chody's handling of the incident, calling for his resignation.[25]
Talarico was the primary author of HB 30, which provides a path for minors in the criminal justice system who have been adjudicated as adults or who are eligible under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act to earn a high school diploma instead of pursuing a high school equivalency.[26] He was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes during a five-day stint in the ICU after a 2018 campaign event where he walked 25 miles (40 km) across his district. After his diagnosis, he paid $684 for his first 30-day supply of insulin. Talarico later helped pass House Bill 82, capping insulin costs at $25 per month.[27][28][29]
In the summer of 2021, Democrats in the Texas House of Representatives, including Talarico, organized a quorum-break in an attempt to stop the passage of legislation they saw as restricting voting rights.[30] They flew to Washington, D.C., to lobby the Senate to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act and the For the People Act, which would have superseded parts of the state legislation.[31] Talarico was one of the first Democrats to return to Texas as the quorum break progressed, arguing that the effort had achieved its goals, that Democrats needed to reduce the harm of Republican legislation, and that an indefinite quorum break was unsustainable.[32][33] Some representatives who remained in D.C. strongly criticized him for this.[34][35] Quorum was eventually reestablished and the legislation passed.[36] At the end of the legislative session, Texas Monthly magazine named Talarico one of the Top 10 Best Legislators.[37]
Third term (2022–2023)
After his district was made significantly more Republican during the 2020 redistricting process, Talarico announced that he would run in neighboring House District 50, a safe Democratic seat being vacated by Celia Israel.[38][39][40] His previous district was a swing district.[41] Talarico won the primary election with 78.5% of the vote and the general election with 76.8%.[42] During the 88th legislative session, he was the primary author of House Bill 25, which would create the Texas Wholesale Prescription Drug Importation Program and allow Texas to import lower-cost Canadian medications approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.[43] Talarico was an outspoken critic of legislation that would have required the display of the Ten Commandments in all elementary and secondary classrooms, on the constitutional grounds of separation of church and state. He called the measure "un-American" and "un-Christian".[44] The bill was not signed into law.[45]
Fourth term (2024–2025)
Talarico defeated Nathan Boynton in the Democratic primary and was unopposed in the general election.[46][47] In 2025, he continued to be a major voice in opposition to placing the Ten Commandments in Texas public schools. The specific legislation, SB 10, required every classroom to visibly display a poster containing the Ten Commandments, sized at least 16 by 20 inches. When the bill was first brought to the floor of the Texas House, Talarico called a point of order that delayed its passage.[48] The bill ultimately passed the legislature, but videos of his remarks against it went viral and led to an appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience.[49][12]
During the legislative debate over private school vouchers, Talarico, who opposed the legislation, attempted to amend the bill to have a statewide referendum determine whether the program would go into effect. The legislation passed and was signed into law without the amendment.[50][51][52] In August 2025, Talarico was one of 51 Democratic Texas House members who broke quorum to delay the passage of mid-decade new congressional maps.[53] While he was absent from the state, Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit to expel Talarico and 12 other representatives from the House by declaring their seats vacant.[54][55] Talarico and the others named in the suit returned to the state before the Texas Supreme Court ruled in the case.[56] In May 2026, the court determined that it did not have jurisdiction to resolve a legislative dispute and dismissed the case.[57]
Committee assignments
For the 89th legislative session:
2026 U.S. Senate campaign
On September 9, 2025, Talarico announced his candidacy for the 2026 U.S. Senate election in Texas.[49][62] He and U.S. Representative Jasmine Crockett vied for the Democratic nomination.[63] In December 2025, Talarico appeared in an episode of Jubilee's Surrounded titled "1 Texas Democrat vs. 20 Undecided Texas Voters".[64][65] In February 2026, the Houston Chronicle, the Austin American-Statesman, The Dallas Morning News, and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram endorsed Talarico.[66][67][68][69] Later in February, the FCC opened an investigation into Talarico's appearance on The View, citing a potential violation of the equal-time rule. Late-night and talk shows had been exempt from the requirement until an FCC rule change in January 2026.[70]
On February 16, 2026, Talarico was scheduled to appear on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Colbert said that CBS canceled the interview because of the Trump administration's "intensifying pressure against broadcast TV networks".[71] He said the network's lawyers had instructed him not to have Talarico on the show or mention the cancellation. Against their advice, he interviewed Talarico and spoke publicly about the cancellation.[72][73][74] Colbert accused CBS of censorship and posted the interview to the show's YouTube page instead,[75] where it had gained 7.3 million views by February 18, making it the most viewed interview segment on The Late Show's channel in a year.[76]
On March 3, Talarico won the Democratic primary, securing the party's nomination in the November general election.[77][78] In the general election, he faces Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who won the Republican primary runoff on May 26.[79]
On the campaign trail, Talarico frequently shares a story from when he was a 6th grade teacher at Rhodes Middle School. He was assigned a new student named Justin, who had been kicked out of fifth grade for bringing a knife to school and threatening his teacher. Talarico shook Justin's hand and welcomed him to the classroom. Justin's grades and socialization were improving, but after Christmas break, Justin got into a fight and was kicked out of school again. Talarico attributes this to the Texas legislature's decision to cut public school funding, which led to the termination of the therapist at Rhodes Middle School who was helping Justin cope with his challenging life, and Talarico resolved that if he ever became a legislator, he would fight for funding for public schools so that there would be resources available to help children like Justin.[17]
Since Talarico won the nomination, his campaign has been noted for its record-breaking fundraising. In the first quarter of 2026, it raised over $27 million, more than any Senate campaign ever for that period, and more than double the totals raised by the two previous Democratic nominees' campaigns in Texas during the same period, with Colin Allred raising $9.5 million in the first quarter of 2024, and Beto O'Rourke raising $6.7 million in 2018.[80][81]
Political positions
Religion
Talarico is a critic of Christian nationalism, calling it "a cancer on our religion",[82] and has said "there's nothing Christian about Christian nationalism".[83] He has cited his faith and the teachings of Jesus, especially the commandment to love God and one's neighbor, as the reason for launching his political career. He has called politics "another word for how we treat our neighbors".[5]
In a 2023 guest sermon, Talarico called Christian nationalism "the worship of power—social power, economic power, political power, in the name of Christ". He has said Christian nationalists have turned Jesus "into a gun-toting, gay-bashing, science-denying, money-loving, fear-mongering fascist", arguing that it is "incumbent on all Christians to confront it and denounce it".[84] In July 2025, Talarico appeared on The Joe Rogan Experience and discussed the influence of faith on his political career, during which Rogan suggested he run for president in 2028.[85]
Institutional reform
Talarico has advocated for reforms of U.S. political institutions, including imposing term limits for members of Congress, banning congressional stock trading, and banning gerrymandering.[86] He supports the elimination of the filibuster in the United States Senate, but supports the talking filibuster.[87] He has also advocated for reform of the U.S. Supreme Court, including an enforceable code of ethics for the justices and term limits,[87] and he is open to increasing the number of its justices.[88]
Healthcare
Talarico supports healthcare reform and universal healthcare as a human right. He supports making buy-in Medicare or a public health insurance option available to every American, calling his healthcare plan "Medicare for Y'all".[89][87]
Immigration
Talarico believes that immigration policy in the United States should be to "treat our southern border like our front porch. We should have a giant welcome mat out front, and we should have the lock on the door."[87][90] He has said: "We have seen this historic increase in funding for ICE. That money has come out of health care. So what I would say is that we should take that money and put it back in our communities, where it belongs."[91]
Talarico also criticized former President Biden's border policy as chaotic.[92]
Cannabis
Talarico has advocated the legalization, regulation, and taxation of cannabis and THC products.[93] In March 2021, he introduced House Bill 4089 to legalize adult cannabis use and provide for the expungement of past convictions.[94] During the 2025 legislative session, he opposed Senate Bill 3, which sought to ban most hemp-derived THC products. Talarico argued that the ban would undermine the state industry and shift consumers toward unregulated markets.[95]
Social issues
Talarico has appealed to Christian theologies in support of the LGBTQ community. He has said: "Trans people aren't taking away our health care. Undocumented people aren't defunding our schools. Muslims aren't cutting taxes for themselves and their rich friends. It's the billionaires and their puppet politicians".[96]
Foreign policy
Talarico supports a two-state solution to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. He has condemned what he called Israel's "atrocities in Palestine" and "war crimes" and has criticized its role in the Gaza Strip famine. He opposes offensive U.S. aid to Israel and supports banning the sale of offensive weapons to Israel. Talarico is a critic of the pro-Israel lobby group AIPAC.[97][98] He criticized Democrats for supporting Israel's war in Gaza during the 2024 presidential election.[99][100] He called the war "the moral test of our time".[101]
Talarico criticized the 2026 Iran war. After the initial strikes on February 28, he wrote "No more forever wars" on X.[102] In an interview on MS NOW, Talarico said the U.S. could prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons without "bombing innocent schoolchildren", referring to the 2026 Minab school attack.[103] He proposed a plan to suspend federal gas and diesel taxes during the war, or until prices come down to $3.06 and $3.66 respectively.[104] He also supported ending the war through negotiations.[105]
Personal life
Talarico is a Presbyterian.[11] He is active in St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church in Austin.[106] As of May 2026, Talarico has been in a four‑year relationship with a woman who previously served as his chief of staff in his Texas House office; she left the position after they developed feelings for each other.[107]
Electoral history
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | James Talarico | 32,235 | 50.9 | |
| Republican | Cynthia Flores | 31,113 | 49.1 | |
| Total votes | 63,348 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic gain from Republican | ||||
| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Democratic | James Talarico | 7,499 | 100.0 | |
| Total votes | 7,499 | 100.0 | ||
| General election | ||||
| Democratic | James Talarico | 36,798 | 51.7 | |
| Republican | Cynthia Flores | 34,340 | 48.3 | |
| Total votes | 71,138 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic gain from Republican | ||||
| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Democratic | James Talarico (incumbent) | 17,888 | 100.0 | |
| Total votes | 17,888 | 100.0 | ||
| General election | ||||
| Democratic | James Talarico (incumbent) | 50,520 | 51.5 | |
| Republican | Lucio Valdez | 47,611 | 48.5 | |
| Total votes | 98,131 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Democratic | James Talarico (incumbent) | 9,117 | 78.5 | |
| Democratic | David Alcorta | 2,497 | 21.5 | |
| Total votes | 11,614 | 100.0 | ||
| General election | ||||
| Democratic | James Talarico (incumbent) | 36,881 | 76.9 | |
| Republican | Victor Johnson | 9,718 | 20.3 | |
| Libertarian | Ted Brown | 1,392 | 2.9 | |
| Total votes | 47,991 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | James Talarico (incumbent) | 8,015 | 84.4 | |
| Democratic | Nathan Boynton | 1,478 | 15.6 | |
| Total votes | 9,493 | 100.0 | ||
| General election | ||||
| Democratic | James Talarico (incumbent) | 48,289 | 100.0 | |
| Total votes | 48,289 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | James Talarico | 1,212,832 | 52.4 | |
| Democratic | Jasmine Crockett | 1,068,992 | 46.2 | |
| Democratic | Ahmad Hassan | 30,762 | 1.3 | |
| Total votes | 2,312,586 | 100.0 | ||
