James Talarico is stepping up his outreach to Black voters as he enters the final stretch of his campaign for U.S. Senate, making a renewed pitch to a constituency that could play a decisive role in the closely watched Texas race.<\/p>\n
Talarico, the Democratic nominee, held a rally Sunday at Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church in Houston\u2019s Third Ward, where he emphasized affordability, unity and his commitment to listening to Black communities.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat work of representing Black Texans doesn\u2019t start the day after Election Day, it starts now,\u201d Talarico told the crowd, according to the\u00a0Houston Chronicle<\/a>. \u201cThat is why we are listening to, investing in and showing up for Black communities all over this state.\u201d<\/p>\n The outreach comes after a contentious Democratic primary in which Talarico defeated U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett. Crockett had significant support among Black voters, particularly in Houston and Dallas, leaving Talarico with the challenge of rebuilding relationships with voters who largely backed his former opponent.<\/p>\n In recent months, Talarico has increased his campaign\u2019s investment in Black voter outreach. He has committed more than $25 million of his campaign\u2019s resources toward the effort and recently announced an expanded Black engagement team that includes veteran political operatives and Black-owned consulting firms.<\/p>\n The campaign\u2019s weekend schedule included a back-to-school giveaway at Emancipation Park with Houston DJ OG Ron C, a church appearance and the Sunday rally.<\/p>\n The effort appears to be gaining some traction. Several Black attendees at Sunday\u2019s event said they supported Crockett in the primary but now intend to vote for Talarico in November.<\/p>\n One attendee, Bresean Cockrell, said he was impressed by Talarico\u2019s willingness to engage in difficult conversations with Black residents during a campaign stop earlier this summer.<\/p>\n