Democrat U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico is facing questions over his apparent flip-flop on Texas oil and gas after undercover footage exposed the contrast between his legislative record and his current campaign rhetoric.
The footage, obtained exclusively by Texas Scorecard, shows Talarico being confronted over the apparent reversal as he campaigns for the U.S. Senate.
“You supported 2206, which I love. You likened gas and oil to cassette tapes. That they got to go,” the undercover attendee tells Talarico, referencing his previous comments comparing fossil fuels to outdated technology.
“But you also recently said that you want to protect gas and oil,” the attendee continues. “So which Talarico are we sending to Washington?”
Rather than distancing himself from either position, Talarico insists the two are compatible.
“You can be for oil and gas and be against greenhouse gas emissions,” Talarico responds.
When pressed on whether the legislation was intended to phase out oil and gas, Talarico pushes back.
“No, the goal is to limit greenhouse gas emissions, and that’s what we can do by also supporting oil and gas,” he says.
But Talarico’s legislative record tells a different story about his approach to one of Texas’ largest industries.
During the 2021 legislative session, Talarico introduced House Bill 2206, known as the Texas Climate Action Act, which proposed sweeping reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.
The legislation would have required Texas to reduce emissions by at least 50 percent below 1990 levels by 2030 and 90 percent by 2050.
For Texas oil and gas producers, meeting such aggressive targets could have meant substantial new compliance costs, restrictions on emissions associated with drilling and production, and pressure to scale back operations.
The legislation also called for declining annual emissions limits and directed state regulators to consider potential job losses associated with transitioning to a green economy.
While the bill stopped short of explicitly banning oil and gas, its requirements could have made production more expensive and constrained the industry’s ability to operate and expand.
The legislation ultimately died in committee.
Now, with a U.S. Senate seat on the line, Talarico is presenting himself as a defender of the same industry that could have faced significant economic consequences under his earlier proposal.
Texas Scorecard has reached out to Talarico’s campaign to ask whether he still supports the emissions targets outlined in his 2021 legislation. As of publication, he did not respond.
