{"id":117873,"date":"2026-01-10T06:24:12","date_gmt":"2026-01-10T06:24:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/117873\/"},"modified":"2026-01-10T06:24:12","modified_gmt":"2026-01-10T06:24:12","slug":"senate-hopeful-talarico-says-hell-call-for-ban-on-sale-of-offensive-military-weapons-to-israel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/117873\/","title":{"rendered":"Senate hopeful Talarico says he’ll call for ban on sale of offensive military weapons to Israel"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"State Rep. James Talarico, D-Austin, speaks at Thursday\u2019s town hall in New Braunfels. Credit: Michael Karlis<\/p>\n

State Rep. James Talarico, D-Austin, on Thursday told a capacity crowd at a New Braunfels town hall that he\u2019ll work to ban the sale of offensive military weapons to Israel if elected to represent Texas in the U.S. Senate.<\/p>\n

\u201cIsrael has a right to exist and has a right to defend itself,\u201d said Talarico, who\u2019s running to replace four-term Republican U.S. Sen. John Cornyn. \u201cBut Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu does not have the right to wage war against civilians. He does not have the right to use famine or collective punishment as tactics in that war.\u201d<\/p>\n

Talarico acknowledged that the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attack on Israel was the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust. However, he said the U.S. and Israel have the responsibility to lead with moral clarity and uphold their democratic ideals.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can be a friend to Israel, but being a friend means holding your friend accountable,\u201d Talarico said.<\/p>\n

The Democratic wunderkind has shouldered criticism from some on the left for appearing to dodge earlier questions on the bloodshed there.<\/p>\n

Talarico\u2019s remarks came at the Hidden Gem of Gruene event center in Comal County, which last voted for a Democratic presidential candidate<\/a> in 1936. With the roughly 350-seat venue at full capacity, at least 100 people stood outside and listened to the state rep\u2019s remarks through a sound system.<\/p>\n

During the gathering, Talarico answered questions about a range of topics, from Texas\u2019 attacks on academic freedom to the ICE slaying of Renee Good to state government\u2019s infringement on the lawmaking abilities of municipalities.<\/p>\n

One of the night\u2019s most contentious moments came when a person who identified as a Mexican American voter asked Talarico what he thought about Democratic primary opponent U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett\u2019s remark that some Latino voters have a \u201cslave mentality.\u201d<\/p>\n

Talarico responded by saying that he and his campaign won\u2019t \u201cwrite off any voter\u201d or \u201cany community,\u201d adding that he has deep respect for anyone willing to run for higher office.<\/p>\n

Talarico and Crockett \u2014\u00a0the latter of whom will host a similar town hall in San Antonio on Sunday \u2014 are scheduled to face off in a Saturday, Jan. 24, debate in Georgetown sponsored by the AFL-CIO.<\/p>\n

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