State Rep. James Talarico (D) has made headlines in recent months as he weighs a senate run. With the Texas Democrat’s popularity rising, it appears he’s finally decided to launch a campaign for the senate.
If you thought the senate race between incumbent Senator John Cornyn (R) and Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) was getting vicious, the race is about to get more complex as state Rep. Talarico is expected to announce his candidacy soon.
First reported by Politico, who cited three anonymous sources confirming the candidacy, state Rep. Talarico would not only enter a highly contested race, but he would also enter a Democratic primary race against former Rep. Colin Allred (D).
Rep. Allred previously challenged Senator Ted Cruz (R) for his seat, but the race ended with a loss. Considered a longshot candidacy, Rep. Allred could face another defeat before heading to the general election.
Incumbent Senator Cornyn and Attorney General Paxton have engaged in weeks of political mudslinging as both are vying for the hearts of the voters and President Donald Trump’s (R) endorsement.
However, the Republican primary could get even more contentious as Rep. Wesley Hunt (R) weighs his own senatorial bid.
Just last week the National Republican Senatorial Committee released memo, urging Rep. Hunt's donors to reconsider, calling a potential senatorial bid "a vanity project."
Amidst the Republican infighting, Democrats feel confident that they can gain political ground in the Lone Star state. State Rep. Talarico's campaign could enter the race and attempt to sway voters at a time when pundits question if Texas can in fact turn blue.
The Texas Democrat has gained household recognition after numerous media appearances. Most notably, state Rep. Talarico appeared on an episode of the Joe Rogan Podcast, and at one point, Rogan suggested, "James Talarico, you need to run for president."
Current polls show that the incumbent senator is trailing Attorney General Paxton, who is also facing a number of controversies that have put him at odds with Republicans. Moreover, polls indicate that the attorney general could lose the general election to a Democrat.
