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U.S. Senate · TX · Democratic candidate · 2026

James Talarico

Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Texas

A former public-school teacher and nonprofit director, Talarico was first elected to the Texas House in 2018 and is studying to become a Presbyterian minister.

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StateTexas
OfficeU.S. Senate
ElectionNov. 3, 2026

Policy priorities

Where James stands.

Campaign position

Offer affordable public health insurance

  • Supports a public Medicare option for every age, lower drug prices, and restored health-insurance subsidies

Campaign position

Raise wages and rebalance taxes

  • Supports a $15 federal minimum wage, larger working-family tax credits, and higher taxes on wealthy corporations

Campaign position

Modernize border processing and accountability

  • Supports port screening technology, more asylum judges, legal immigration pathways, and identification requirements for ICE agents

Campaign position

Expand preschool and strengthen classrooms

  • Supports preschool for three- and four-year-olds, teacher training, stronger school funding, and ending private-school vouchers

Campaign position

Limit political money and conflicts

  • Supports independent redistricting, banning corporate PAC money, and prohibiting congressional stock trading

Campaign position

Protect the grid and ratepayers

  • Supports grid weatherization and clean energy, with large data centers paying their own infrastructure costs

Record and background

Record & experience.

  1. 2019

    Experience

    Reasoning Mind regional executive director

    Led Central Texas operations.

  2. 2018 election

    Experience

    Texas state representative

    Was first elected to the Texas House.

  3. 2025 legislature

    Experience

    Trade and workforce committee vice chair

    Serves as committee vice chair.

  4. 2025 legislature

    Experience

    Academic and career education vice chair

    Serves as subcommittee vice chair.

  5. 2019

    Accomplishment

    Helped reform school funding

    Helped write a major school-finance reform.

  6. 2021

    Accomplishment

    Helped cap preschool class sizes

    Helped establish a 22-student pre-K limit.

  7. 2021

    Accomplishment

    Helped establish an insulin copay limit

    Helped cap insulin cost sharing at $25 per 30-day prescription in state-regulated plans.

  • Experience

    Rhodes Middle School teacher

    Taught sixth-grade language arts.

  • Accomplishment

    Helped authorize Canadian drug imports

    Helped pass drug-importation legislation.

  • Accomplishment

    Helped fund student mental health

    Helped open funding for school mental-health programs.

  • Accomplishment

    Helped expand diplomas for detained youth

    Helped secure diploma opportunities for incarcerated minors.

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