— Texas state Rep. James Talarico announced plans to enter the Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate seat held by Republican Sen. John Cornyn, mounting a campaign in a state Democrats hope will be competitive in next year’s midterms.
Key Takeaways
- James Talarico, a 36-year-old Texas state representative and pastor from the northern Austin suburbs, is entering the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate.
- The contest is for the seat of Republican Sen. John Cornyn, who is facing a heated primary challenge from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
- Other Democrats already in or weighing the primary include former Rep. Colin Allred and former Rep. Beto O’Rourke (said to be considering another run).
- Talarico gained national attention this year for viral videos and his participation in a 15-day Democratic walkout in the Texas House over congressional redistricting.
- Texas has not elected a Democrat statewide since 1994; Donald Trump won the state by more than 13 points in 2024.
- Democrats view the Cornyn–Paxton GOP primary as a possible opportunity if intra-party divisions produce a weaker general election nominee.
Verified Facts
Sources familiar with Talarico’s plans told CNN that he will formally launch a campaign in the coming days to challenge for the seat currently held by Sen. John Cornyn. Cornyn is facing a contested Republican primary with Attorney General Ken Paxton as a principal opponent.
Talarico is 36 years old and represents suburban districts north of Austin in the Texas House. He is a pastor by background and rose to wider recognition this year after posting videos opposing a GOP effort to require Ten Commandments displays in public schools; those videos drew viral attention and led to national media appearances.
Earlier this year, Talarico joined other Texas House Democrats in a 15-day quorum-breaking walkout intended to block Republican-backed congressional map changes. The walkout stalled the redistricting effort during one special session but Republicans enacted the maps during a subsequent session.
On the Republican side, internal divisions have intensified the race’s national profile. Paxton remains popular among a segment of the GOP base but has faced recent personal and legal controversies reported in court filings. Democrats view that intra-party primary as a potential opening in a state that has been reliably Republican in recent decades.
Context & Impact
Texas has been a GOP stronghold: no Democrat has won statewide office there since 1994, and former President Trump carried the state by over 13 points in 2024. That historical context makes any Democratic statewide bid an uphill effort, requiring strong turnout and persuasion in suburban and growing metro areas.
National Democrats need a net gain of four Senate seats to reach a majority. Party strategists are prioritizing several GOP-held contests — including North Carolina, and potentially Maine, Ohio, Iowa and Texas — as paths to that goal.
- Why Talarico matters: young, media-savvy, with recent national visibility that could help fundraising and grassroots organizing in suburbs.
- Why the Cornyn–Paxton split matters: a bruising GOP primary could leave the eventual nominee weakened for a general election in a competitive environment.
“We have far more in common than the stuff that divides us,”
James Talarico, as quoted in a public interview
Unconfirmed
- Beto O’Rourke’s final decision to run again remains publicly unconfirmed; he has said he is considering another campaign.
- The precise timing and structure of Talarico’s formal launch events and initial fundraising targets have not been released by his campaign.
- The extent to which Paxton’s personal legal and family matters will affect his general election viability is subject to interpretation and ongoing reporting.
Bottom Line
James Talarico’s entry adds a fresh, younger voice to a Democratic primary in Texas and increases the national attention on a race that could become strategically important for both parties in the 2026 Senate map. While Texas remains challenging terrain for Democrats, intra-GOP divisions and shifting suburban dynamics leave the seat worth watching.