Democrat · Texas Senate · 2026
James Talarico
Talarico taught middle school before entering the Texas House in 2018.
Biography
James Talarico recalls spending part of his early childhood in the hotel where his mother worked, before they found a small apartment in East Austin.1 He also says he hikes Big Bend every year.2 His grandfather was a Baptist preacher in South Texas, and Talarico is now a student at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary.3
He attended public schools before earning degrees from the University of Texas at Austin and Harvard.4 Before politics, he taught sixth grade language arts at Rhodes Middle School in San Antonio.1 First elected to the Texas House in 2018, he now serves on the Public Education, Juvenile Justice and Family Issues, and Calendars committees.4
Talarico has type 1 diabetes and says his first month's insulin cost $684, which he put on a credit card after leaving intensive care.2 He was a House sponsor of the bipartisan 2021 law capping costs at $25 for each 30 day insulin prescription under certain state regulated insurance plans.56 Republican Senator Lois Kolkhorst authored the legislation, with Democrat Eddie Lucio III also sponsoring it in the House.7
His Senate platform would let Americans of any age buy into Medicare, reverse Medicaid cuts and restore federal abortion protections.2 He also favors a higher federal minimum wage, expanded housing tax credits and repealing Trump's tariffs.8 He says he would support a war powers resolution to end the Iran conflict and restore congressional oversight of military action.9 He faces Republican Ken Paxton for the seat being vacated by John Cornyn.9
Record and controversies
Campaign absence rumor found false
FactCheck.org found that widely circulated claims about an October absence from campaigning were false; the facility named in the rumor expressly denied that Talarico had received treatment there.10 Talarico said he had been recovering from flu at home, and reporting corroborated his presence there through dated security images.10 This is a correction of disinformation, rather than an established adverse health or misconduct finding.10