Talarico says he supports voter ID, but dodges question on SAVE America Act
Talarico says he supports voter ID, but dodges question on SAVE America Act
1:22
Texas Senate candidate James Talarico said he is in favor of “fair voter ID,” but dodged a voter’s question about whether he supports the Save America Act.
The bill would overhaul US elections in ways many conservatives want, including by requiring people registering to vote to provide proof of US citizenship.
“Well, I’d honestly have to read the details of the legislation. I’m a policy wonk, and so I always hesitate to to say I’m going to support any one bill if I haven’t read the final version of that bill,” Talarico told the voter at the CNN and Jubilee Media town hall.
“But from what I understand, the bill is about our elections,” Talarico said. “So, I’ll tell you what I am for. I am for fair voter ID, and I say fair because here in Texas, I think that a lot of our voter ID policies are discriminatory.”
He described how some types of identification, like a concealed handgun license, are allowed to be used for voting purposes while others, such as a student ID, are not.
“I think that hurts some kind of voters and helps other kind of voters,” Talarico said. “What I want to see is voter ID that is consistent across the board.”
The voter pushed for an answer on whether he can retain this policy while working with senators from other states, like New York or California.
“Well, I am not running for the US Senate to represent New York or California. I’m not running for the US Senate to represent the Democratic party. I am running for Senate to represent all 31 million Texans, and I will always do what’s best for Texas, even if that means standing up to my own party,” Talarico told the voter.