State Rep. James Talarico to jump in Texas Senate race


Democratic state Rep. James Talarico is set to announce his Senate bid on Tuesday, according to three people familiar with the plans, granted anonymity to discuss them.

The state legislator has been considered a rising star in Texas, conducting dozens of national meia interviews after he and his fellow Democrats left the state to hold up a President Donald Trump-led plan aimed at netting more Republican-leaning seats. He also secured a spot on Joe Rogan's enormously popular podcast this spring.

Rep. Colin Allred (D-Texas) already announced a bid for the seat in July.

Democrats have long hoped to flip the Lone Star state, which has at times seemed tantalizingly within reach. But President Donald Trump won the state by more than 13 percentage points in 2024, a far wider margin than his other two single-digit victories in the state.

But if state Attorney General Ken Paxton wins the GOP primary in March, the state could be a ripe target for Democrats next November. Current polls show incumbent Republican Sen. John Cornyn trailing Paxton, and Republicans have said that Paxton would be a weak general election candidate.



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