James Talarico is a Texas state representative (District 50, since 2018) and Presbyterian seminarian running as the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate. He is a former middle school teacher and has championed progressive causes including gun control, abortion rights, voting rights, and a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. Talarico won the Democratic primary on March 3, 2026, defeating U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett. He will face the winner of the GOP runoff (Cornyn or Paxton) in the November general election. He is 36 years old and emphasizes anti-corruption and populist messaging.
James Talarico was born in Round Rock, Texas. He earned a B.A. in Government from University of Texas at Austin and M.A. in Education from Harvard University. He worked as a middle school teacher before entering politics. In 2018, he ran a special election for Texas House District 50 and won. He is pursuing a degree as a Presbyterian seminarian while serving in the House. In August 2018, during a campaign walkathon, Talarico was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes after a 5-day ICU stay; he paid $684 for his first 30-day insulin supply, which inspired him to work on HB 82 capping insulin at $25/month. Talarico is 36 years old and advocates for 'love thy neighbor' politics.