On Saturday afternoon, Texas State Rep. James Talarico and his opponent, U.S. Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett, took the stage for the U.S. Senate Primary Debate. In a time where Texans are fighting uncertainty daily, a progressive senator who is a proven fighter against the current Grand Old Party is necessary, someone who will flip the Senate seat and fight “tooth and nail” for Texans on the national level.
Before joining the state legislature, Talarico began his career as a public school teacher in the underserved Westside of San Antonio. Once elected into the state legislature, he quickly rose to fame for his distinct style of debate against GOP leaders in the Texas House and for passing a historic Texas healthcare reform — an insulin copay cap at $25.
Throughout the debate, Talarico proved he is unafraid to break the norms of the Democratic Party.
“Billionaires want us looking left and right at each other so we are not looking up at them,” Talarico said.
Talarico has a strong record of combating billionaire policy, leading the fight against Gov. Greg Abbott’s Texas Senate Bill 2, which uses state funds for private school vouchers. Talarico made his stance on billionaire tax breaks clear: he will fight to ensure that billionaires pay their fair share.
Talarico proposed plans to hold the current administration accountable for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s abuses, remarking, “We have to haul these masked men before Congress so the world can see their faces.”
Talarico also suggested his plan to reform U.S. immigration policies holistically.
“We can welcome immigrants who want to live the American dream,” Talarico commented. “We can build a pathway to citizenship for those neighbors who have been here making us richer and stronger.”
If anyone is going to lead immigration reform, it is going to be the U.S. senator who understands the importance migration has played in the state’s history. Talarico fits that bill.
Regarding the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Talarico also put his foot down.
“I have said that if I am in the United States Senate, I will use every bit of this country’s financial and diplomatic leverage to end the death and destruction in Gaza,” Talarico said.
The issue has become critical to elections, as many American citizens are turning away from the Israeli state.
Talarico defined the debate best himself, saying, “I don’t think you should believe anything a politician says, I think you should look at what a politician has done.” This quote rings true for his opponent Crockett, who, on Jan. 14, 2025, voted for a resolution that appropriated $3.3 billion in security assistance to Israel.
In the present climate, running for U.S. senator is not about who is the edgiest or most viral; it is about protecting the rights of both Texans and Americans. The people of Texas need a senator who fights Republicans every day of their political career. That senator is Texas State Rep. James Talarico.
