Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico speaks June 1 at a campaign rally in Plano. The first-time statewide nominee takes center stage this week as Texas Democrats gather for their state convention in Corpus Christi.
Smiley N. Pool/The Dallas Morning News
U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez has won enough tough races in South Texas to know what it takes for Democrats to compete beyond the party’s urban strongholds.
So as Texas Democrats gather this week for their convention, the veteran McAllen congressman says Senate nominee James Talarico must convince skeptical voters he shares their values before Republicans turn his old comments into new doubts.
“He himself said those are some cringey things,” Gonzalez said of remarks Talarico has made over the years. “I have to agree, right, being a South Texas Democrat.”
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But Gonzalez said Talarico can overcome those concerns by emphasizing his faith, focusing on affordability, health care and education and showing voters his Texas roots.
The state convention in Corpus Christi comes at a pivotal moment for Talarico, a 37-year-old state representative from Austin and first-time statewide candidate facing Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton in November.
Democrats see an opening but say Talarico must show Texans what he stands for and expand his appeal beyond the party faithful if he hopes to end Democrats’ long statewide losing streak.
Gonzalez said the key for Talarico is reaching Texans who don’t already vote Democratic.
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“He especially comes off well for white Christian conservatives in rural areas and if we eat away at those margins, plus have a high turnout everywhere else where we traditionally win anyway, Democrats are in a really good position,” Gonzalez said.
U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, another South Texas Democrat who has survived difficult races, agreed that Talarico has to tailor his campaign to voters outside the state’s metropolitan areas.
“He’s got to make sure the messaging is not only urban based but also rural based,” Cuellar said. “If you look at when a Democrat runs against a Republican, the firewall for the Republican is the rural area.”
The convention offers Talarico a prime shot to make that case.
While he has energized Democratic activists, raised millions of dollars and built a national profile, he must attract independents and moderate Republicans who have repeatedly rejected Democratic nominees.
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Republicans say Talarico’s own words make that strategy a tough sell.
They have highlighted years of comments on religion and culture, including clips of Talarico asserting there are six biological sexes, calling the American flag a complicated symbol and touting the benefits of reducing meat consumption.
Early attacks
GOP leaders sought to undercut Democrats’ convention message this week.
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick used the debut of his new podcast to say Talarico was “going to hell” because of his views on Christianity. Paxton, appearing alongside Patrick, agreed, saying “they are not Christian views, they are his views.”
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Abbott joined the effort by launching a campaign website portraying Talarico and other Democrats as “radical” liberals who want to “California your Texas.”
Talarico has said he expected the attacks. “They’re going to call me a radical leftist. They’re going to call me a fake Christian. They’ll call our movement un-Texan, un-American,” he said after winning the Democratic nomination. “The only truth is we are a threat. We’re a threat to their corrupt system.”
U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey of Fort Worth, who is not seeking reelection, predicted Talarico’s emphasis on faith and common decency would resonate with many Texans.
But he said Republicans are likely to keep pressing him on social issues, even as Talarico has sought to shift the campaign’s focus to affordability, corruption and other economic concerns. In a new television ad, Talarico promises to make life more affordable for Texas families.
Closing ranks
Republicans are also trying to make Talarico a liability for Democrats farther down the ballot.
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Earlier this week, the National Republican Congressional Committee called on Gonzalez and Cuellar to denounce the Democratic nominee over his past statements on religion and culture.
Both congressmen rejected that.
“I’ve met him and there’s no doubt in my mind that he’s a real Christian and cares about people and is a good human being, and at the end of the day, his opponent is the complete opposite of that,” Gonzalez said.
Gonzalez instead questioned why Republicans continued to support Paxton, who has faced years of allegations of personal and professional misconduct. He has denied wrongdoing.
Gonzalez said, “They need to ask if their own members, especially Texas members, are going to condemn him for these un-Christian behaviors.”
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Cuellar said he isn’t abandoning the Democratic nominee, pledging to support Democrats “up and down the ballot.”
The convention also gives Republicans several days to scrutinize the party’s speakers and message for new lines of attack.
“The biggest challenge for Talarico between now and November is walking back many of his votes, social media posts and public statements that position himself well to the left of where the average Texas voter is,” said Rice University political scientist Mark Jones.
The party’s previous chair, Gilberto Hinojosa, resigned after the 2024 election, saying Democratic positions on transgender rights and immigration hurt candidates at the polls. Earlier that year, Republicans seized on Democrats’ decision to feature an Austin drag performer as a convention speaker.
This year, Democrats are featuring Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders as a headline speaker on Saturday.
Faith and caution
Former Dallas Mayor Ron Kirk, who lost the 2002 Senate race to Cornyn, acknowledged Talarico has to answer for some past remarks. But he said the Democrat should keep the campaign focused on the economy and Paxton’s record.
“Republicans don’t have anything positive to run on, so all they can do is try to demonize him,” Kirk said. “He’s handling the attacks beautifully and should keep doing what he’s doing.”
A seminary student, Talarico has made faith a central theme, arguing his Christian beliefs shape his politics and distinguish him from Paxton.
Kirk said that gives him an opportunity to turn Republican attacks to his advantage, but he cautioned Democrats against assuming a breakthrough is at hand.
“We’ve got as good of an opening this cycle as we’ve ever had before,” Kirk said. “We have a very disciplined, thoughtful and inspiring candidate and they helped us by nominating someone as fatally, fundamentally flawed and immoral as their candidate.”
Even so, he added, it’s often hard to predict when “Lucy could pull the ball away from Charlie Brown.”
Staff writer Phil Jankowski in Austin contributed to this report.