GEORGETOWN, Texas – In each election cycle, hope springs eternal for Texas Democrats and the labor movement that once wielded real power in Lone Star politics.
The Texas AFL-CIO put that push on display Saturday, sponsoring a debate between Democratic Senate candidates U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Dallas and state Rep. James Talarico of Austin.
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Labor unions hope Crockett, Talarico and other 2026 contenders can break Democrats’ 32-year statewide losing streak and revive labor’s political clout.
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An AFL-CIO endorsement had been expected at the Austin-area convention aimed at mobilizing support ahead of March 3 primary, but none was made, reflecting a split among the union members.
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In the debate, both Crockett and Talarico played up their ties to labor, calling unions essential to protecting workers from corporate abuses, job losses and rising costs.
Texas state Rep. James Talarico, D-Austin, left, shakes hands with Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, prior a debate during the Texas AFL-CIO Committee on Political Education Convention, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, in Georgetown, Texas. (Bob Daemmrich/Texas Tribune via AP, Pool)
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Crockett said “the more powerful our unions are, the better they can fight for the actual workers,” and Talarico said that “you’ve had my back when I was a worker in the classroom, and I’ve had your back as a legislator.”
Unity push
Labor members said the moment calls for unity around working-class interests.
Jimmy Mack, a United Auto Workers’ leader and employee at General Motors in Dallas, said voters need to set aside social and cultural divides and focus instead on economic fairness.
“It’s not about left or right. It’s about right and wrong and rich and poor,” he said.
Nearly 300 delegates attended the convention to promote workers’ rights and rally behind favored candidates in a state where Republican hold far greater political power.
“People are looking for change and the candidates themselves are reaching out for our endorsement,” said the Texas AFL-CIO president, Leonard Aguilar. “They’re being more aggressive to get our support.”
Unions bring funding, volunteers and organizational muscle to campaigns.
Numerous union leaders are seeking Texas offices, including Marcos Velez for lieutenant governor, state Sen. Sarah Eckhardt of Austin for comptroller and Jose Loya for land commissioner. Democrat Taylor Rehmet, president of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, faces Republican Leigh Wambsganss in a runoff Saturday for a Tarrant County-based state Senate seat.
Rosie Curts, a Dallas public school teacher and Texas American Federation of Teachers member, said seeing union members on the ballot has energized many workers.
She said even if not all win, “it still will wake up everybody to how they have to pay attention to” labor issues.”
Pitching union members
Democratic Senate candidates Jasmine Crockett and James Talarico focused heavily on labor issues in a debate hosted by the Texas AFL-CIO, highlighting worker protections and union influence.
Crockett: She said Congress should strengthen protections for federal workers by challenging executive orders in court, passing laws to reverse those actions and increasing oversight of agencies. She also said empowering unions is essential, arguing that “the more powerful our unions are, the better that the unions can fight for the actual workers.”
Talarico: Talarico said federal workers should be treated as “public servants” and promised to reverse cuts, reinstate employees, raise wages and protect collective bargaining rights. He also highlighted his “100% pro worker voting record” in the Legislature and said the U.S. Senate must regulate AI to prevent workplace surveillance and protect jobs.