James Talarico, a Democratic candidate for the Texas Senate, expressed criticism of former President Joe Biden’s border policies during a podcast episode released on Monday. Initially, in January during his campaign for the Democratic nomination, Talarico had advocated for a “welcome mat” approach at the border. However, he later branded himself as a “Border Security Democrat” as the presidential campaign progressed, during his appearance on the podcast “Cogdell Law Uncensored.”
In the discussion, Talarico stated, “I criticized Joe Biden for not securing the southern border, and that generated significant pushback within my own party. I’ve spoken with colleagues in Congress from border regions, and they’ve shared with me their insights regarding President Biden’s policies and the chaos stemming from the Democratic Party.”
“So I’m a border security Democrat,” he reiterated.
This statement followed Talarico’s remarks in a primary debate on January 24 against Democrat Jasmine Crockett, whom he later defeated in March. He had remarked then that, “our southern border should be like a front door. There should be a giant welcome mat in front of it.”
His earlier comments drew sharp criticism from Democratic Texas Representative Henry Cuellar, who remarked in March, “[Talarico] should let him change the situation on the border. And while I live on the border, I hardly ever visit it.”
Talarico elaborated on his views regarding U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), stating, “I think we need to stop secret police in masked vehicles abducting neighbors from the streets and committing violence against American citizens. We must rebuild this agency to focus adequately on immigration and customs enforcement.” He shared these views during an interview on CBS.
In the Senate race, Talarico is competing against Republican candidate Ken Paxton, the Attorney General of Texas.
