Texas Senate Candidate James Talarico Discusses Election Challenges

James Talarico, a Texas Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate, expressed concerns that state laws might hinder his chances of becoming the first Democrat to secure a statewide office since 1994.

In a recent podcast discussion, Talarico remarked, “It means we probably need to win by a little bit more than we would have to win in a completely free and fair election.” His comments echo a common sentiment among Democrats who believe the Republican Party’s control in Texas stems from low voter turnout linked to election security measures rather than merely the state’s conservative tendencies.

Despite raising an impressive $40 million as of March, Talarico finds himself up against a formidable opponent in the popular Republican Attorney General, Ken Paxton.

Talarico outlined the challenges his campaign faces, saying, “We’re going to have to overcome it. It’s going to take organizing, hard work and all-out efforts beyond voter suppression if we’re going to win.” His concerns are rooted in significant changes Texas has made to voting laws in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

One of the most significant pieces of legislation is SB1, which mandates that voters provide a specific identification number—from a Texas driver’s license, an election ID, or the last four digits of their Social Security number—to vote or register to vote. It also banned drive-through voting and the unsolicited mailing of ballot applications. Talarico, who opposed SB1 during his time in the state legislature, lamented, “There’s already a lot of voter suppression going on in Texas. It’s written into the laws. I’ve vehemently opposed many of these laws as they passed through the Legislature.”

He added, “As a result, Texas is one of the most difficult places to vote in the nation, which is why voter turnout in Texas is so low compared to other states.”

Interestingly, while Texas ranks low in voter turnout generally, the last presidential election saw 56.6% of voters participating—an increase from previous years. And during the 2022 midterms, turnout was at 41.8%, also surpassing earlier elections.

Talarico’s campaign did not respond to inquiries regarding these points. Some Republican strategists view his remarks as largely missing the mark, suggesting he prioritizes getting out the vote over election security. Republican National Committee spokesman Zach Kraft claimed, “James Talarico wants illegal aliens to vote in our elections,” asserting a stark contrast between Talarico’s views and those of Ken Paxton, who supports strict immigration policies.

Notably, Talarico voted against measures that increased fines for illegal voting in Texas, where penalties for non-citizen voting can escalate from misdemeanors to felonies.

Remarkably, despite the challenges posed by the Texas voting laws, Talarico encouraged his supporters to take inspiration from historical movements like civil rights and labor efforts that overcame their own obstacles. He said, “They were all playing against a rigged system, so if they can do it, we can certainly do it against this stacked deck.”