James Talarico is hoping to flip the U.S. Senate seat in the Lone Star State. But winning over Black Texans will be a challenge.
Former President Barack Obama traveled to Texas to boost the campaign of James Talarico, the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate, who is facing a contentious election this November that will determine control of Congress in 2027.
America’s first Black president visited a local Austin restaurant with Talarico and another Democratic nominee, Gina Hinojosa, who is running for Texas governor. Short of an official endorsement, Obama joined Talarico and Hinojosa in greeting patrons at Taco Joint.
“Do you know our outstanding next governor and senator?” Obama said to star-struck customers as he introduced himself, table to table, according to the New York Times. After posing for photos and ordering tacos to go, the 44th President of the United States urged the Texas voters, “Remember to vote.”
After the Tuesday drop-in, President Obama shared pictures on social media, writing, “It was great joining @JamesTalarico and @GinaHinojosaTX today in Texas. They’re working hard to make a difference in the lives of all Texans, and will be able to do even more as your next Senator and Governor. Let’s get it done, Texas!”
Obama’s campaigning for Talarico and Hinojosa continues a strong effort to boost Democrats nationwide in this year’s midterm elections. The midterms on Nov. 3 will mark voters’ first time casting ballots in nationwide federal elections since President Donald Trump was re-elected to the White House. As Trump’s public approval ratings tank and prices continue to rise, Democrats hope to succeed by energizing their base and winning over disgruntled Republicans.
In Texas, 36-year-old Talarico is hoping to flip the U.S. Senate seat for Democrats for the first time in more than 30 years. However, the Texas state representative, who defeated popular U.S. Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett in the March Democratic primary, is finding it challenging to court Black voters, who overwhelmingly supported Crockett over him.
“President Obama is always going to be a hero and revered amongst the African American community. I think his opinion definitely still holds weight,” said Zoe Cadore, a Houston-based political consultant and former Texas congressional candidate.
She told theGrio, “I think it’s a great showing that he is putting his support behind James Talarico so early, especially given all of the critiques around Talarico’s campaign and the lack of support that he had from African-American voters, and frankly, the lack of outreach that a lot of the Black voting population felt he did in the primary.”
Cadore acknowledged that Talarico has been “trying” in his outreach to Black Texans, like campaigning at Black churches and delivering the commencement speech at Paul Quinn College, an HBCU in Dallas.
The Texas Democrat said that while she understands some of the sentiments of Black voters who have criticized Talarico’s campaign, Talarico did “what needed to be done to win the primary.” Crockett, she pointed out, was going to get a lion’s share of the Black vote, so he instead, “built his coalition among white liberals, Latinos, and then maybe a scattered group of African Americans that existed in rural communities or in places like in Austin.”
While Obama’s star power is needed in the Texas Senate race, Cadore told theGrio that America’s first Black president is most needed in cities with larger Black populations like Houston or Dallas, where support for Talarico remains tested.
Cadore explained that many Black voters feel Talarico didn’t try to earn their vote in the primary and, therefore, is “not worthy” of their vote or has to “work extra” to earn their support in November.
“I find this stance to be a little short-sighted,” she told theGrio. “If our goal is to flip Texas, the only thing we need to be focused on right now is galvanizing as many voters as possible to come out for him in November.”
“While there very much still is a race issue in democratic politics here in Texas, I do think we have to tackle that issue later; right now, the focus is flipping Texas,” she added. “If we spend too much time focused on the race issue, and if he approached enough Black voters in the primary or not, we’re going to miss the big picture, which is getting him over the finish line in November.”
As theGrio previously reported exclusively on Mother’s Day, Talarico sought to message to Black voters with the unveiling of a plan to address the maternal mortality, specifically calling out the disproportionate number of Black women dying during childbirth or from pregnancy-related issues.
In a statement to theGrio, Talarico said, “In the Texas Legislature, I led the fight against racist redistricting maps and private school voucher scams rooted in school segregation. I secured major criminal justice reforms, banned reality TV policing, and passed legislation to lower the cost of childcare, housing, and prescription drugs.”
However, the Texas lawmaker said, “There’s so much more work to do,” adding, “For far too long, Black communities have been overlooked, undervalued, and taken for granted by both parties in this broken, corrupt political system. That’s why we’re centering issues like maternal health in this campaign.”
