exas State Rep. James Talarico officially entered the Democratic Senate primary race on Tuesday morning, launching a campaign focused on challenging political elites and restoring power to working Texans.
A former middle school teacher and eighth-generation Texan, Talarico rose to national prominence this summer when he joined fellow Democrats in leaving the state during a special legislative session to protest a GOP-backed redistricting plan. The controversial map, pushed by former President Donald Trump, was designed to help Republicans secure additional congressional seats in Texas — a strategy that ultimately succeeded in August, giving the GOP an edge heading into the next midterm elections.
Despite years of Democratic hopes to flip Texas blue, efforts behind high-profile candidates like Beto O’Rourke in 2018 and Colin Allred in 2024 failed to break the Republican stronghold. Trump won Texas in 2024 by nearly 14 points — his strongest performance in the state to date.
Talarico enters a primary field that already includes former U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, who is running again after losing to Republican Sen. Ted Cruz in 2024, and former astronaut Terry Virts. U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro has hinted at a potential run, and O’Rourke hasn’t ruled out another bid. O’Rourke has remained active in state politics through his voter engagement group, Powered by People, holding more than 30 events across Texas in just the past two months.
According to a source close to O’Rourke, “Beto has not taken anything off the table and will continue to do everything he can to be helpful to his fellow Texans.”
On the Republican side, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton — impeached in 2022 — is mounting a campaign to challenge longtime GOP Senator John Cornyn, who is seeking a fifth term.
Talarico’s campaign builds on the national media attention he’s received recently, including a guest appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience, where Rogan encouraged him to consider a presidential run. During the three-hour conversation, Talarico discussed how his Christian faith drives his commitment to progressive values.
In his announcement, he declared:
“The biggest divide in our country is not left versus right — it’s top versus bottom. Billionaire mega-donors and their puppet politicians have taken over our state and our country, rigging the system for themselves. I’m running for the U.S. Senate to bring people together and take power back for working Texans.”
He described his bid as an “underdog fight” against entrenched political interests and big money, emphasizing grassroots energy over establishment support.
Talarico is set to kick off his campaign with a rally Tuesday night in his hometown of Round Rock, just north of Austin.
