James Talarico | BernieCrats.com

Biography

James Dell Talarico was born on May 17, 1989, in Round Rock, Texas, where he grew up as the eighth generation of his family to call the Lone Star State home. He graduated from McNeil High School, then earned a bachelor's degree in government from the University of Texas at Austin and a master's degree in education policy from Harvard University.

Before entering politics, Talarico taught middle school language arts at a public school in San Antonio, working directly with students and families in underserved communities for six years. That experience on the front lines of public education became the animating force of his political career — a career he describes as rooted in his Christian faith and a belief that the teachings of Jesus demand a commitment to economic justice.

Talarico was first elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 2018 and has served since 2019, representing North Austin, Pflugerville, and Round Rock. In the Texas House, he became one of the state's most prominent progressive voices, going viral repeatedly for sparring with Republican colleagues on school vouchers, the Ten Commandments in classrooms, and reproductive rights. While serving in the House, he earned his Master of Divinity from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary in 2024.

Known for his TikTok videos that regularly earn millions of views and a coveted appearance on Joe Rogan's podcast, Talarico has built a national profile as a new kind of Democratic voice — one that speaks the language of faith and moral clarity while fighting for working people. He is unmarried and lives in Austin.

2026 Senate Campaign

Talarico announced his U.S. Senate candidacy in September 2025, entering a crowded Democratic primary that included U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett. He won the March 3, 2026 primary decisively, defeating Crockett and Ahmad Hassan, and will now face Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton — who himself upset incumbent Sen. John Cornyn in the Republican primary — in the November general election.

The race has rapidly become one of the most-watched Senate contests in the country. Recent polling shows Paxton leading Talarico 43% to 42% — well within the margin of error — a historically competitive position for a Democrat in deep-red Texas. Talarico raised a staggering $30 million in the second quarter of 2026 alone, more than triple Paxton's haul and a record total for a Texas Democratic Senate nominee.

Talarico is running on an anti-corruption, pro-worker message: 'The real divide in this country isn't left vs. right. It's top vs. bottom.' He is campaigning to repeal the Trump tariffs, protect public education, codify reproductive rights, and take on the pharmaceutical and insurance industries. He has worked to build a broad coalition — winning Hispanic voters by 14 points in recent polling and working to shore up support among Black voters who backed Crockett in the primary.