Texas Democrat James Talarico says his Senate campaign is shocking the nation
State Rep. James Talarico didn’t declare victory in his remarks on Election Night, as results in Texas’ Democratic primary for U.S. Senate race continue to be tallied.
Results were delayed in Dallas County, where confusion about a switch from countywide voting to precinct-based voting prompted a two-hour extension of voting hours for Democratic voters. The Supreme Court later stayed that decision from a lower court. There were similar reports of confusion in Williamson County, where precinct voting was also used.
Earlier in the day, the Texas Democratic Party said the Dallas and Williamson County Republican parties would not agree to joint primaries, which “forced voters out of the countywide voting system they’ve used for over a decade and sent them scrambling to find their assigned precinct.”
Talarico, who was leading in his primary contest against U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, arrived on stage to address a crowd at an Austin concert venue around midnight. Hours before, attendees were optimistic about the state representatives chances to take on November’s Republican nominee. U.S. Sen. John Cornyn and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton are headed into a runoff.
“Tonight our campaign is shocking the nation,” Talarico said. “We are still waiting for an official call, but we are confident in this movement we’ve built together.”
Talarico said “every vote must be counted.”
“Every voice must be heard,” he said. “This voter suppression in my home county and in Congresswoman Crockett’s home county underscores the gravity of this moment.”
Talarico, who represents the Austin area in the Texas House, based his campaign around the idea of uniting Texans, telling voters the fight in the U.S. isn’t left versus right, but “top versus bottom.” He’s previously said support Republicans and independents is necessary to win in November.
Talarico said the number of young people, non-voters, independents and Republican voters who cast ballots in the primary race is “unprecedented.”
“Tonight, the people of our state gave this country a little bit of hope, and a little bit of hope is a dangerous thing,” Talarico said.
This story was originally published March 4, 2026 at 12:53 AM.
