‘Bellwether of Texas’: Democrat James Talarico says Tarrant key in Senate bid
State Rep. James Talarico, an Austin Democrat, is working to win over red Tarrant County as he campaigns for the U.S. Senate.
Talarico, who launched his bid a month ago, held a rally in Fort Worth on Wednesday, as he travels the state trying to shore up votes ahead of the March 3 primary.
Tarrant has long been considered the state’s most conservative large urban county, though it has swung for Democrats in recent years. Talarico sees it as “the bellwether of Texas,” he said in a Thursday interview.
“In some ways, it’s representative of the whole state in one county,” he said. “It’s diverse. It’s growing, and it’s a battleground politically.”
Former U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke, a Democrat, won the county in 2018 when he lost to Republican Sen. Ted Cruz. Former President Joe Biden faced the same fate in 2020, losing Texas but winning Tarrant. President Donald Trump won the county in 2024 over Democrat and former Vice President Kamala Harris.
Talarico, a former public school teacher and a graduate of Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, said he expects to spend a lot of time in the area.
“I plan on being in Tarrant County often,” he said. “I’m here at the beginning of our campaign because it’s so important, and I plan on being back many times. And my goal is earn the trust of people in Tarrant County, regardless of their politics. I want to be a U.S. senator for all 30 million Texans, not just Democrats, but Independents and Republicans.”
The Democratic primary also features former U.S. Rep. Colin Allred from Dallas, whose name recognition could be boosted by his 2024 U.S. Senate bid and local roots. Allred, a civil rights attorney and former NFL player, lost a 2024 U.S. Senate campaign against Cruz, but won Tarrant County.
Talarico said he’s the “outsider” in the race and hasn’t been in politics super long, having first joined the Texas House in 2019. Unlike Allred, he’s never served in Washington.
“I think that’s a strength as well, because people are looking for something different, something new, something fresh, and I think I can provide that,” Talarico said. “But I’ve got to get my message in front of as many people as possible in a short amount of time.”
Speakers at Wednesday’s Fort Worth rally included State Rep. Ramon Romero, a Fort Worth Democrat, and council member Elizabeth Beck, according to Talarico’s campaign, which estimated that more than 1,200 people attended the event.
In the Star-Telegram interview, Talarico stressed the importance “showing up” and meeting with voters.
“It starts with meeting these voters in person and ensuring they hear from me directly about my values and my vision, and make sure they have a place in the campaign,” Talarico said.
He added that, regardless of party affiliation, “we want them to be part of this movement to take on the billionaire mega donors and take power back for working people.”
A new poll from two public affair schools in Houston put Allred ahead of Talarico by 4 percentage points in a direct matchup.
In a three-way Republican primary matchup, Paxton won 34% of votes to Cornyn’s 33% and Hunt’s 22%, according to the survey from the Hobby School of Public Affairs at the University of Houston and the Barbara Jordan – Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs at Texas Southern University.
On Wednesday, Allred announced the endorsements of several Black leaders from Dallas-Fort Worth, including Tarrant County Commissioner Roderick Miles and former Fort Worth City council member Jared Williams.
“From Dallas to Fort Worth and across Texas, these voices represent the strength, grit, and values that make our state special,” Allred said in a statement. “Together, we’re building a movement to make Texas more affordable, less corrupt, and a place where everyone has a fair shot.”
Allred also helped lead a Fort Worth rally in August with U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey, aligning with the 60th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act. Veasey is supporting Allred’s bid.
