Democrats are expressing concerns that James Talarico, their candidate for the Texas Senate seat, may not have sufficient support from Black voters to succeed in this traditionally Republican state.
“Listen, my home state of Texas, we feel incredibly encouraged for two reasons,” said Ashley Etienne, who previously served as communications director for Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris, during an interview on “Meet the Press.” “But the challenge is: the only way you win the state of Texas as a Democrat is if you overperform with Black voters.”
She elaborated on her recent trip to Houston, where she met with local operatives and elected officials. They shared concerns about a lack of enthusiasm among Black voters. Talarico’s promised $25 million for his campaign, which was announced over a month ago, has not yet been mobilized, which is troubling. This, combined with Elon Musk’s commitment to investing nearly $200 million into races in Texas—where the stakes are high—creates a challenging situation. “If you’re going to wait until Labor Day to start campaigning with Black voters, you’re playing to lose,” she cautioned.
Etienne’s remarks echo those of Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett, who narrowly lost to Talarico in a recent Senate primary. Crockett has raised questions about Black voter enthusiasm for his candidacy as well.
On a recent podcast, Crockett expressed her feelings, stating, “I personally don’t feel like the excitement necessarily exists within the Black community right now.”
The Democrats are particularly focused on voter turnout as Talarico works to consolidate his support among Black voters following his primary victory. Although Crockett endorsed Talarico the day after her loss, she indicated back in June that she wouldn’t be actively campaigning for him.
Talarico has introduced a $25 million initiative aimed at mobilizing Black voters, hoping to sway Crockett’s supporters. However, this effort follows a town hall in Houston on July 20, where Talarico faced tough questions from Black voters.
💥NEW: Jasmine Crockett says black community isn’t “EXCITED” about James Talarico💥
“I personally don’t feel like the excitement necessarily exists within the black community … I don’t feel like they’re excited!”
Crockett dominated Talarico in counties with large black… pic.twitter.com/GChJdaNUOd
— Jason Cohen 🇺🇸 (@JasonJournoDC) August 21, 2026
The results of the primary highlight Talarico’s uphill battle. Crockett outperformed him in counties with significant Black populations, such as Dallas, Fort Worth, and Houston, and captured nearly every predominantly Black district in East Texas. In Harris County, which centers on Houston, she received 86% of the vote in heavily Black precincts while Talarico managed to win predominantly white areas by a three-to-one margin.
Talarico is set to face Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton in the general election on November 3, 2026. Current polling indicates that both candidates are closely matched, with analysts labeling the race as a toss-up.
