Democrat candidate for U.S. Senate in Texas. Every point on this page links to its source. We don't grade candidates or tell you how to vote. As of 2026-09-28.
Offices outside Congress are from Wikidata, a public, crowd-edited database.
Where they stand
In their own words, from their campaign website, summarised in plain English.
Economy and cost of living
Talarico says he wants to lower costs for working families by cutting red tape on housing, childcare, and prescription drugs, raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour, expanding the Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit, and repealing tariffs he says are raising prices on groceries, cars, and clothing.
“We need a government that serves working people instead of giant corporations.”
Talarico says he wants to make billionaires and large corporations pay higher taxes on income, capital gains, and stock buybacks while closing loopholes like 'carried interest' and 'buy, borrow, die,' so taxes can be cut for working families and small businesses.
Talarico says he wants to let every American join Medicare regardless of age, lower prescription drug costs, protect and improve the Affordable Care Act, reform prior authorization rules, and protect people from medical debt, arguing health care is a human right.
Talarico says he will fight against cuts to Social Security and Medicare and make the wealthiest Americans pay their fair share into Social Security by removing the tax cap on income over $400,000, while also encouraging employer-sponsored pensions.
“Fight tooth and nail against attacks on Medicare and Social Security”
Talarico says he supports comprehensive immigration reform that secures the border while creating legal pathways for immigrants, focusing ICE resources on deporting criminals and traffickers rather than families, holding ICE accountable for abuses, and creating a path to citizenship for long-term undocumented residents and groups like DREAMers.
“Our border should be like a front porch — it should have a welcome mat out front and a lock on the door.”
Talarico says he wants to codify Roe v. Wade into federal law and protect access to contraception and IVF so families can get the reproductive care they need.
“Restore access to reproductive health care in Texas”
Talarico says he supports protecting the Second Amendment while also backing universal background checks for gun sales, requiring secure firearm storage around children, prioritizing prosecution of illegal gun traffickers, and raising the age to purchase certain semi-automatic rifles.
“Protect the Second Amendment while protecting our neighbors from gun violence”
Talarico says he wants America to lead with diplomacy rather than isolationism, support Ukraine against Russian aggression, back a two-state solution in Israel and Palestine while preventing U.S. funds from harming civilians in Gaza, and deepen cooperation with NATO and other allies.
“My north star will always be to protect innocent life.”
Talarico says he wants to ban super PACs and corporate PACs, end partisan gerrymandering nationwide through independent redistricting commissions, ban congressional stock trading, impose term limits on Congress and the Supreme Court, and pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to make voting easier.
“the first set of legislation I will pursue in the U.S. Senate will be an anti-corruption package”
From FEC filings for 2025–26. Outside spending is money a group spends on its own about a candidate — TV and online ads, mail, canvassing. It is not a donation to the campaign, and the candidate does not control it. Supporting means it was spent to help that candidate win; Opposing means it was spent to defeat them, usually on attack ads. Groups report it within 24 or 48 hours as the election nears. Raised is the campaign's own fundraising, as of its latest quarterly report. Largest donors come from each outside spender's own FEC receipts, with each donor's share of its itemized receipts; donors under $100,000 are not named. People are shown with the employer and occupation they reported. A donor that is itself a political committee is shown with its own largest donors. Companies and nonprofits don't report their funders to the FEC, so the trail ends there, and the page says so.
James Talarico (DEM)
Raised
$68.6M through 2026-06-30individuals $65.6M · PACs $348K · from the candidate's other committees $2.6M · cash on hand $21.5M
TEXAS PAC— $33.0M opposing Talarico
· 12 ads on this pageLONE STAR LIBERTY PAC— $14.1M opposing TalaricoLargest donors:
Douglas Scharbauer $1.2M (12%), Midland Chamber OF Commerce, Consultant; Jonathan Knutz $1.1M (11%), Legacy Medical Consultants, CEO; PRESERVE TEXAS INC. $1.0M (10%) (an organization: its own funders aren't reported to the FEC); THOMAS J HENRY LAW PLLC $646K (6%) (an organization: its own funders aren't reported to the FEC); Gary Heavin $500K (5%), Curves International, CO-FounderMAGA INC.— $12.5M opposing TalaricoLargest donors:
FORIS DAX, INC. $35.0M (8%) (an organization: its own funders aren't reported to the FEC); Diane Hendricks $25.0M (6%), Hendricks Holding CO Inc., Chairman; Miriam O Adelson $25.0M (6%), LAS Vegas Sands Corporation, Director OF Community Development; GEMINI TRUST COMPANY $24.4M (6%) (an organization: its own funders aren't reported to the FEC); Jeff Yass $16.0M (4%), Susquehanna International GRP, Managing DirectorAMERICA PAC— $5.8M opposing Talarico
· 4 ads on this pageLargest donors:
Elon Musk $20.1M (>99%), Space Exploration Technologies Corp., CEOLONE STAR RISING PAC— $5.2M supporting TalaricoLargest donors:
Reid Hoffman $11.5M (53%), Greylock Partners, Partner; GOVERNMENT THAT WORKS PAC $3.8M (17%); AMERICA VOTES $900K (4%) (an organization: its own funders aren't reported to the FEC); WORKING FOR WORKING AMERICANS - FEDERAL $525K (2%); Simone Coxe $500K (2%), NOT Employedand 28 more
What named supporters and critics say, as reported. Shown in equal numbers.
Praise
Sen. Martin Heinrich: Says Talarico is running a smart, accessible campaign in Texas. thehill.com
Accurate?
Kamala Harris: Congratulated Talarico on his primary win and pledged full support for his Senate bid. texastribune.org
Accurate?
Raphael Warnock: Said he expects the party to unite behind Talarico, calling him a talented messenger. dallasnews.com
Accurate?
Progressive Change Campaign Committee: Endorsed Talarico in the Democratic Senate primary. thehill.com
Accurate?
Criticism
Ted Cruz: Said Talarico is undoubtedly hurting Democrats. politico.com
Accurate?
Nick Maddux: Called Talarico a dangerous radical who hides his record behind scripted lies. texastribune.org
Accurate?
Ken Paxton: Called Talarico the most extreme radical Democrats have ever nominated and falsely claimed he is a vegan. dallasnews.com
Accurate?
Madison Cercy: Accused Talarico of re-traumatizing a child abuse victim for political gain. texastribune.org
Accurate?
Controversies
Stated as reported. Most are reported by at least two independent news outlets or found in an official record; any with only one source so far is marked Single source.
Allegations
Pay-to-play allegation involving consulting firm and state contracts Single source
Only one source found so far. We keep looking for a second, independent report.
Republicans alleged that Talarico's paid consulting work for MAYA Consulting (later VIDA Collaborative) while he served on the Texas House Public Education Committee, which oversees the Texas Education Agency, constituted a "pay-to-play scheme," since MAYA received TEA contracts worth a combined $5.2 million in 2021 and 2022. Talarico's campaign called the allegation a "lie," and VIDA's CEO said Talarico's consulting work was "structured, specifically to remain separate from his role as a Texas state legislator" and that he "never worked under, received compensation from, or was involved in securing any state- or federally-funded contracts."
Response: Talarico's campaign has denied the allegation as a "lie."
Disputed "mediocre Black man" remark allegation Single source
Only one source found so far. We keep looking for a second, independent report.
TikTok creator Morgan Thompson alleged that in a private January 2026 conversation, Talarico described former primary rival Colin Allred as a "mediocre Black man" as opposed to Jasmine Crockett, a "formidable, intelligent Black woman." Thompson said she had no recording of the conversation. Talarico called the allegation a "mischaracterization of a private conversation," acknowledging he described Allred's "method of campaigning" as mediocre but said he "would never attack him on the basis of race." Allred publicly criticized Talarico over the alleged remark and urged Democrats to back Crockett instead.
Past comments on race, gender and religion draw bipartisan criticism Single source
Only one source found so far. We keep looking for a second, independent report.
Republicans highlighted past statements by Talarico, including a 2020 social media post about white Americans spreading "the virus of racism," 2021 remarks that "there are six" biological sexes, and statements that "God is non-binary," as evidence he is out of step with Texas voters; Democratic strategist James Carville also said Talarico needed to "deal with" the comments. Talarico acknowledged some past statements "missed the mark" but said Republicans were using them to "distract" from Paxton's record.
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