Texas Democrats are once again chasing a dream that has eluded them for nearly four decades: flipping a U.S. Senate seat in one of the nation’s most reliably conservative states. This time, the face of the push is 36-year-old state Rep. James Talarico, who announced Tuesday he’s running for Senate.
Talarico, a former middle school teacher, is being marketed as a “rising star” within his party. In his launch video, he cast himself as both a fighter and a man of faith, invoking his grandfather—a Baptist preacher—and framing his campaign as a crusade against “billionaire megadonors and their puppet politicians.” He claimed, “We’re going up against a rigged system… it’s time to start flipping tables.”
That kind of rhetoric may play well with the activist left, but Texas voters have consistently shown they prefer leaders focused on growth, jobs, and security rather than grievance politics. Democrats have been promising a “blue wave” in Texas for years, yet the state remains firmly red. In 2018, Beto O’Rourke came within 2.6 points of Ted Cruz—but in 2024, Cruz widened the margin against Colin Allred, while Donald Trump carried the state comfortably by nearly 14 points.
Talarico’s strategy relies heavily on style over substance. He has cultivated more than 1.2 million TikTok followers and even received encouragement from Joe Rogan, who told him on air, “You need to run for president.” But social media followers don’t equal votes, especially in a state as large and politically diverse as Texas. Running a statewide campaign requires infrastructure, fundraising, and a ground game—none of which Talarico has yet proven he can deliver.
He isn’t alone in the race. Former Rep. Colin Allred is also running, and other prominent Democrats like O’Rourke and Rep. Joaquin Castro continue to circle the conversation. Talarico has admitted to holding private meetings with them, but no consensus was reached. In reality, the Democratic field looks more like a crowded stage than a unified movement.
Talarico is leaning into his faith in a way unusual for Democrats, but his policy instincts are anything but conservative. He has already floated big-government proposals like city-run grocery stores and has repeatedly criticized law enforcement approaches that keep communities safe. Dressing those ideas in religious language doesn’t change the fact that they amount to expanding bureaucracy and weakening public safety.
Meanwhile, Republicans remain on strong footing. Sen. John Cornyn faces a primary challenge from Attorney General Ken Paxton, but either candidate would head into the general election with the wind at their back. Texans have consistently chosen leaders who emphasize economic freedom, border security, and traditional values over progressive experiments imported from Washington and coastal cities.
The bottom line: Democrats may keep trying to flip Texas, but every cycle shows the same result—high hopes, lots of outside money, and a state that remains firmly conservative. Talarico’s campaign may raise his profile nationally, but history and the numbers are stacked against him here at home.
“lots of outside money” is the key phrase. Without tons of cash from hard core dem ‘donors’ who are in reality just trying to buy seats in the state, most dem candidates don’t really stand much of a chance. OTOH those wads of cash have been successful in getting their preferred candidates elected to local and county offices like sheriffs, city council members and even mayors.
They have been mad since GWB ‘deposed’ Ann Richards 🙂
BTW I’m pretty sure Talarico was one of the ringleaders of the run away crowd……………..yep he’s a real ‘fighter’.