Introduction to James Talarico
State Rep. James Talarico announced Tuesday, Sept. 9, that he is running for the U.S. Senate seat now held by Sen. John Cornyn. The 36-year-old Austin Democrat said he hopes to bring together Texans around a set of ideas that focuses on boosting Texas families and ending the politics of hate.
Here’s what to know about Talarico, who is launching his first statewide campaign. Talarico was born in Round Rock to a single mother. He graduated from McNeil High School in Williamson County. His mother, Tamara, escaped domestic violence and was forced to return to her job at a hotel just days after giving birth to him. He was later adopted by his stepfather, Mark Talarico.
Early Life and Education
Talarico earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Texas and a Master of Education degree from Harvard University. He is a Presbyterian Seminarian at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary. Before getting into politics, Talarico taught sixth grade at Rhodes Middle School in San Antonio and later became the Central Texas executive director of Reasoning Mind, a nonprofit organization that provides technology to low-income classrooms.
State Rep. James Talarico, D-Austin, addresses a rally of Collin County Democrats on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, in Plano.
“My mom was a fighter,” Talarico said during a speech in Plano. “She packed all of our stuff into her little Ford Escort. She drove me to the hotel where she worked, and the manager let us stay in one of the rooms until we could find this little apartment in East Austin.”
Career and Politics
In 2018 Talarico won the special election to replace Republican Larry Gonzales in Central Texas’ House District 52. He prevailed in that race, and then in the general election against Republican Cynthia Flores. Talarico gained attention by walking the length of the district. He was reelected in 2020. After the district was redrawn in 2021 to make it more Republican, Talarico in 2022 ran for and won the nearby House District 50 seat, which was vacated by retiring Democrat Celia Israel. He was reelected in 2024.
Texas Rep. James Talarico speaks with supporters at a rally, Saturday, Aug. 16, 2025, at Wrigley Square in Millennium Park in Chicago. (AP Photo/Talia Sprague)
Talarico has considered running for governor against Republican incumbent Greg Abbott, but opted to challenge for U.S. Senate. He was a vocal critic of the new law that allows students to use public money to attend private schools.
Policy Positions
In the Legislature, Talarico pushed a bill that created the Texas Wholesale Prescription Drug Importation Program so residents could import lower-cost Canadian drugs. Talarico is a Type 1 diabetic, and he told The Dallas Morning News that affordable prescription drugs and access to health care are important staples of his Senate campaign. Talarico, according to his bio on the Texas House website, helped advance public school finance reforms and funding, as well as legislation that provided money for student mental health and character education programs.
He currently serves on the House Public Education, Juvenile Justice and Family Issues and Calendars committees. Talarico said it’s important for Democrats to expand beyond their normal support base.
Public Appearances
This summer he spent more than two hours on Joe Rogan’s podcast. He got Rogan’s biggest approval when he discussed the fight against the most wealthy people in America. “I think of politics now less as left vs. right and much more as top vs. bottom, because I just see how we are all pitted against each other,” Talarico told Rogan. “We have far more in common than the stuff that divides us, and that’s a threat to their power. It’s a threat to their wealth.” “You need to run for president,” Rogan said. “We need someone who’s actually a good person.”
