The Senate race in Texas is getting heated as state Rep. James Talarico (D) could announce his candidacy.
During an interview with Hearst Newspapers, state Rep. Talarico confirmed that he is considering a run. “The legislative session just ended, and I am having conversations about how I can best serve, and that does include the Senate race,” he said.
State Rep. Talarico flipped a Republican-held House seat in 2018, and since then, he has gained support over his fiery responses to conservative priorities. As Governor Greg Abbott (R) was spearheading his private school vouchers plan, the Texas Democrat provided sharp criticism to the effort, calling it “welfare for the wealthy.”
No Democrats have officially entered the senate race, but Republicans have a contentious primary as incumbent Senator John Cornyn (R) faces competition from Attorney General Ken Paxton (R), who is seen as a likely successor. The attorney general however comes with controversy as he was impeached by the Texas House, but he was acquitted by the senate.
A recent poll shows that support for Senator Cornyn is dwindling as Attorney General Paxton leads the incumbent senator by 22 points in the primary race.
State Rep. Gina Hinojosa (D) would support state Rep. Talarico entering the race, suggesting that “there’s probably no more vulnerable Republican statewide candidate that Ken Paxton.” “Talarico has shown that he’s very adept at challenging and taking on Republicans on their weaknesses.”
Ali Zaidi, a Democratic strategist, also believes that the Texas Democrat has a good chance of winning the election, calling him “our most electrifying leader,” and citing his social media strength as an asset.
According to numbers shared by the Houston Chronicle, state Rep. Talarico has amassed 880,000 followers on TikTok, and his recent videos have surpassed other liberal political figures like Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders (I) and New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D).
