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James Talarico

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James Talarico

James Dell Talarico (born May 17, 1989) is an American politician, Presbyterian seminarian, and former public school teacher serving in the Texas House of Representatives since 2018. He is a member of the Democratic Party and has been called a "rising star" among Texas Democrats. Representing Texas House District 50, Talarico serves as Vice Chair of the Texas House's Trade, Workforce, and Economic Development Committee, and is also a member of the Public Education and House Administration Committees. In September 2025, Talarico announced his candidacy for the 2026 US Senate race in Texas.

Infobox

Preceded by
Larry Gonzales
Constituency
52nd district (2018–2023)50th district (2023–present)
Born
James Dell Causey (1989-05-17) May 17, 1989 (age 36)Round Rock, Texas, U.S.
Political party
Democratic
Education
mw- University of Texas at Austin (BA)Harvard University (MEd)Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary (still attending)
Website
Office websiteCampaign website
Party
Democratic

Tables

2018 Texas House of Representatives 52nd district special election[a][61] · Electoral history
Total votes
Total votes
Party
Total votes
Party
63,348
Candidate
100.0
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
James Talarico
32,235
50.9
Republican
Cynthia Flores
31,113
49.1
Total votes
63,348
100.0
Democratic gain from Republican
2018 Texas House of Representatives 52nd district election[a][62][63] · Electoral history
Party
Party
Primary election
Party
Primary election
Candidate
Primary election
Votes
Primary election
%
Total votes
Total votes
Primary election
Total votes
Primary election
7,499
Primary election
100.0
General election
General election
Primary election
General election
Total votes
Total votes
Primary election
Total votes
Primary election
71,138
Primary election
100.0
Primary election
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
James Talarico
7,499
100.0
Total votes
7,499
100.0
General election
Democratic
James Talarico
36,798
51.7
Republican
Cynthia Flores
34,340
48.3
Total votes
71,138
100.0
Democratic gain from Republican
2020 Texas House of Representatives 52nd district election[64][65] · Electoral history
Party
Party
Primary election
Party
Primary election
Candidate
Primary election
Votes
Primary election
%
Total votes
Total votes
Primary election
Total votes
Primary election
17,888
Primary election
100.0
General election
General election
Primary election
General election
Total votes
Total votes
Primary election
Total votes
Primary election
98,131
Primary election
100.0
Primary election
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
James Talarico (incumbent)
17,888
100.0
Total votes
17,888
100.0
General election
Democratic
James Talarico (incumbent)
50,520
51.5
Republican
Lucio Valdez
47,611
48.5
Total votes
98,131
100.0
Democratic hold
2022 Texas House of Representatives 50th district election[66][67] · Electoral history
Party
Party
Primary election
Party
Primary election
Candidate
Primary election
Votes
Primary election
%
Total votes
Total votes
Primary election
Total votes
Primary election
11,614
Primary election
100.0
General election
General election
Primary election
General election
Total votes
Total votes
Primary election
Total votes
Primary election
47,991
Primary election
100.0
Primary election
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
James Talarico (incumbent)
9,117
78.5
Democratic
David Alcorta
2,497
21.5
Total votes
11,614
100.0
General election
Democratic
James Talarico (incumbent)
36,881
76.9
Republican
Victor Johnson
9,718
20.3
Libertarian
Ted Brown
1,392
2.9
Total votes
47,991
100.0
Democratic hold
2024 Texas House of Representatives 50th district election[41][42] · Electoral history
Total votes
Total votes
Party
Total votes
Party
9,493
Candidate
100.0
General election
General election
Party
General election
Total votes
Total votes
Party
Total votes
Party
48,289
Candidate
100.0
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
James Talarico (incumbent)
8,015
84.4
Democratic
Nathan Boynton
1,478
15.6
Total votes
9,493
100.0
General election
Democratic
James Talarico (incumbent)
48,289
100.0
Total votes
48,289
100.0
Democratic hold

References

  1. In 2018, Talarico was concurrently elected in the special election and the regular election, so both elections were cons
  2. Houston Chronicle
    https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/texas-take/article/democrats-senate-race-20365009.php
  3. NewsNation
    https://www.newsnationnow.com/cuomo-show/rising-texas-democrat-jesus-is-the-reason-im-in-politics/
  4. Politico
    https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2023/06/16/james-talarico-texas-democrats-00101231
  5. The New York Times
    https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/23/us/terry-virts-john-cornyn-senate-texas.html
  6. Official Home Page of the Texas House of Representatives Website for Rep. Talarico, James. Texas House of Representatives
    http://house.texas.gov/members/3685
  7. Politico
    https://www.politico.com/news/2025/09/09/talarico-official-announcement-texas-senate-00550887
  8. The Daily Texan
    https://web.archive.org/web/20190203214422/http://www.dailytexanonline.com/2019/01/30/freshman-lawmakers-jon-rosenthal-james-talarico-reflect-on-how-ut-impacted-their-future
  9. ABC News
    https://abcnews.go.com/OnCampus/story?id=6967559&page=1
  10. Friar Society
    https://web.archive.org/web/20210611050051/https://www.friarsociety.org/our-members/alumni/
  11. Austin Chronicle
    https://www.austinchronicle.com/news/2019-01-04/representative-james-talarico-on-the-86th-texas-legislature/
  12. The 74
    https://www.the74million.org/article/inside-texass-whole-student-agenda-how-a-former-teacher-is-using-his-legislative-seat-to-push-24-new-bills-supporting-sex-ed-mental-health-restorative-justice-more/
  13. Texas Tribune Festival
    https://festival-archive.texastribune.org/2021/speakers/james-talarico/
  14. Ballotpedia
    https://ballotpedia.org/Texas_House_of_Representatives_District_52
  15. Austin American-Statesman
    https://www.statesman.com/NEWS/20180507/Texas-House-candidate-James-Talarico-takes-campaign-to-the-streets
  16. Texas Tribune
    https://www.texastribune.org/2019/01/08/james-talarico-youngest-texas-rep-86th-session/
  17. capitol.texas.gov
    https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/86R/billtext/html/HB03012I.htm
  18. kvue.com
    https://www.kvue.com/article/news/politics/texas-legislature/good-bills-gone-bad-gov-abbott-vetoes-58-bills-this-session/269-310bf5f4-5575-4dc3-afd9-7814131a19fd
  19. KXAN
    https://www.kxan.com/news/your-local-election-hq/incumbent-talarico-faces-challenger-valdez-for-texas-house-district-52/
  20. Texas House of Representatives
    https://www.house.texas.gov/members/3685
  21. KEYE
    https://cbsaustin.com/news/local/new-williamson-co-sheriff-reacts-to-bill-that-would-ban-police-contracts-with-reality-tv
  22. FOX 7 Austin
    https://www.fox7austin.com/news/state-rep-james-talarico-joins-calls-for-williamson-county-sheriff-robert-chody-to-resign
  23. www.tdcj.texas.gov
    http://web.archive.org/web/20250710070519/https://www.tdcj.texas.gov/news/summaries_of_select_legislature_passed_by_87th.html
  24. KXAN Austin
    https://www.kxan.com/state-of-texas/this-disease-affects-anyone-diabetic-emergency-leads-to-texas-rep-james-talaricos-bill-to-cap-insulin-costs/
  25. FOX 7 Austin
    https://www.fox7austin.com/news/talarico-reveals-he-has-diabetes-while-introducing-insulin-legislation
  26. The Texan
    https://thetexan.news/state/the-back-mic/the-back-mic-a-list-of-the-democrats-who-fled-to-d-c-stayed-in/article_3c95c15e-21fb-5301-b09c-c3932024be93.html
  27. POLITICO
    https://www.politico.com/news/2021/07/13/texas-democrats-voting-rights-499480
  28. The Texas Tribune
    https://www.texastribune.org/2021/09/10/texas-house-democrats-quorum-break/
  29. ABC News
    https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/history-texas-lawmakers-walking-out/story?id=124392943
  30. The Texas Tribune
    https://www.texastribune.org/2021/08/09/texas-democrats-legislature-return/
  31. Dallas News
    https://www.dallasnews.com/news/2021/08/09/court-order-temporarily-protects-texas-house-democrats-from-arrest-in-legislative-quorum-dispute/
  32. The Texas Tribune
    https://www.texastribune.org/2021/08/19/texas-house-democrats-quorum-2/
  33. Texas Monthly
    https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/2021-the-best-and-worst-legislators/
  34. The Texas Tribune
    https://www.texastribune.org/2021/10/13/james-talarico-move-austin/
  35. KXAN
    https://www.kxan.com/news/texas-politics/rep-talarico-blames-racist-gerrymandering-for-causing-move-to-new-house-district/
  36. The Texan
    https://thetexan.news/the-back-mic-house-democrat-moves-districts-after-redistricting-new-legislator-off-to-fast-start-approval-of-university-spending-requested/
  37. CW39 Houston
    https://cw39.com/news/texas-politics/beto-orourke-talks-democratic-strategy-ahead-of-2026-midterms/
  38. Ballotpedia
    https://ballotpedia.org/James_Talarico
  39. kvue.com
    https://www.kvue.com/article/news/politics/texas-legislature/bill-prescription-drug-imports-canada/269-4aaf808b-d427-4a86-b844-6317ce61c743
  40. Austin American-Statesman
    https://www.statesman.com/story/news/education/2023/05/03/texas-legislature-senate-bill-1515-advances-pushes-for-ten-commandments-in-schools-classrooms/70170060007/
  41. CNN
    https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/24/us/texas-ten-commandments-bill/index.html
  42. Secretary of State of Texas
    https://results.texas-election.com/races
  43. Secretary of State of Texas
    https://results.texas-election.com/races
  44. kxan
    https://www.kxan.com/news/texas-politics/bill-requiring-ten-commandments-be-placed-in-every-texas-classroom-sent-back-to-committee/
  45. POLITICO
    https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2025/07/19/james-talarico-texas-democrat-joe-rogan-interview-00441989
  46. KEYE
    https://cbsaustin.com/news/local/texas-house-tables-amendment-to-send-school-vouchers-to-voters
  47. The Texas Tribune
    https://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/17/texas-house-school-vouchers-public-education-funding/
  48. The Texas Tribune
    https://www.texastribune.org/2025/05/03/texas-school-vouchers-greg-abbott-signs/
  49. The Hill
    https://thehill.com/homenews/5435394-here-are-the-texas-house-democrats-who-broke-quorum/
  50. The Texas Tribune
    https://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/08/ken-paxton-texas-democrats-supreme-court-removal-redistricting/
  51. www.texasattorneygeneral.gov
    https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/news/releases/attorney-general-ken-paxton-files-historic-lawsuit-against-democrat-runaways-scotx-secure-order
  52. The Texas Tribune
    https://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/18/texas-democrats-return-redistricting-map-illinois/
  53. "James Talarico Joins Senate Campaign in Texas"
    https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/09/us/politics/talarico-texas-senate.html
  54. "Texas Democrat Jasmine Crockett launches bid for US Senate seat"
    https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/dec/08/democrat-jasmine-crockett-texas-senate-run
  55. "A Democrat in Texas Thinks Faith and Honesty Can Win a Senate Campaign"
    https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/09/us/politics/talarico-texas-senate.html
  56. The Texas Observer
    https://www.texasobserver.org/james-talarico-big-tent-revival-primary/
  57. Good Faith Media
    https://goodfaithmedia.org/from-the-sanctuary-to-the-streets-a-conversation-with-james-talarico/
  58. YouTube
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Blph_2RSBno&t=65s
  59. The Texas Tribune
    https://www.texastribune.org/2025/09/05/james-talarico-texas-senate-democrat-2026/
  60. The Guardian
    https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2025/jul/23/james-talarico-texas-joe-rogan
  61. Joe Rogan Experience #2352 - James Talarico
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jOGPvMftb8
  62. Secretary of State of Texas
    https://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist333_state.htm
  63. Secretary of State of Texas
    https://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist324_state.htm
  64. Secretary of State of Texas
    https://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist331_state.htm
  65. Secretary of State of Texas
    https://results.texas-election.com/races
  66. Secretary of State of Texas
    https://results.texas-election.com/races
  67. Secretary of State of Texas
    https://results.texas-election.com/races
  68. Secretary of State of Texas
    https://results.texas-election.com/races
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