Texas State Rep. James Talarico has officially entered the race for U.S. Senate, joining former U.S. Rep. Colin Allred in the Democrat primary.
In his campaign launch, Talarico framed the race as a fight against the wealthy and well-connected.
“The biggest divide in our country is not left vs right — it’s top vs bottom,” said Talarico. “Billionaire mega-donors and their puppet politicians have taken over our state and our country, rigging the system for themselves.”
But the message is being complicated by recent reporting that Talarico has taken substantial contributions from one of the biggest Republican donors in the country.
According to a report by Politico, Talarico accepted $59,000 from Texas Sands PAC, a group funded by casino billionaire Miriam Adelson—the widow of GOP megadonor Sheldon Adelson. The contribution made the PAC his largest donor in 2024.
The report noted that Adelson’s group has donated to candidates from both parties as part of a campaign to legalize casino gambling in Texas. In 2023, Talarico voted in favor of a constitutional amendment that would place the issue on the ballot.
His office said his support for gambling legalization predates the donation and is based on the promise of “good jobs and additional tax revenue.”
Talarico has also positioned himself as one of the more left-wing voices in the Texas Legislature.
He spoke out against legislation aimed at removing sexually explicit books from school libraries, characterizing such efforts as censorship. He also opposed Republican-backed laws restricting gender transition procedures for minors, framing them as attacks on the “transgender community.”
Earlier this year, lawmakers advanced a bill to require the display of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms. Talarico argued against it, claiming the measure “cheapens” the commandments and constitutes government overreach.
These positions, along with his vocal opposition to “billionaire megadonors,” have made Talarico a progressive favorite nationally. But they may also prove a liability in a statewide race in Texas.
Meanwhile, on the Republican side, the primary is shaping up to be a battle between incumbent U.S. Sen. John Cornyn and Attorney General Ken Paxton, with Paxton positioning himself as a conservative alternative to the longtime incumbent.
