Texas Democratic Representative Jolanda Jones expressed concern this summer about James Talarico’s efforts to engage black voters ahead of the midterm elections.
With the election fast approaching, his campaign might face even greater challenges with black and Hispanic voters, which could jeopardize the Democratic Party’s chances of taking the Senate from the Republicans.
“Talarico has to invest in getting our voters out. That’s the only way he has a shot at winning,” she remarked.
Talarico’s Senate campaign encountered issues right after he won the Democratic nomination, defeating Rep. Jasmine Crockett. Crockett suggested that there’s a lack of enthusiasm among black voters for Talarico.
His campaign has left critics open to claim that he is overlooking the needs of both black and Hispanic communities.
Recently, a planned outreach event for black voters, set for the Central Texas African American Civic Engagement Symposium, was canceled. This was shortly after Talarico attended a Hispanic Business Council event in South Texas virtually, citing illness as the reason for his absence.
“I was really looking forward to being down in the Valley,” he said, reminiscing about the local cuisine he had hoped to enjoy. “But I started feeling sick a few days ago, and I ended up at urgent care in Dallas last night.”
This was a moment for critics to seize on. A spokesperson for the Republican National Committee, Zach Kraft, stated, “Talarico seems to be either overlooking black voters or has simply given up on them. Either way, his attempts to mend ties with them are lackluster.”
In August, Crockett criticized the apparent lack of Republican investment in the race, suggesting it indicated that they didn’t believe Talarico had a real chance to win.
“I pay attention to campaign spending. As soon as the Republicans start pouring money into Texas, that’s when I’ll get convinced,” she commented previously.
Recently, a Texas PAC, partly funded by a Republican-affiliated organization, announced a significant ad investment of $117 million for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, Talarico’s opponent, according to a report from late September.
“I’m curious about where both the NRSC and DSCC stand. Right now, there doesn’t seem to be any investment coming from either, which suggests their internal data reflects a similar outlook,” she added.
This criticism aligns with Jones’ earlier warning to Talarico’s campaign. She indicated they were funding “white and Hispanic infrastructure” for voter mobilization but not providing necessary resources for black communities.
“Talarico has to put resources into getting our voters to the polls. That’s essential for him to have any chance of succeeding,” she reiterated.
The Talarico campaign faced further embarrassment last week when it promoted a video showcasing a “huge crowd” of supporters in the historically conservative region of Lubbock, Texas, although the footage was from February.
While polling suggests a tight race between Talarico and Paxton, Talarico has been under constant scrutiny due to controversial remarks and associations.
Early voting in Texas kicks off on October 19.
For updates on polling averages and race dynamics between Talarico and Paxton, resources are available online.
