State Rep. James Talarico, D-Austin, officially entered the 2026 U.S. Senate race Tuesday with a rally at Centennial Plaza in Round Rock, drawing more than 1,000 supporters with just 12 hours’ notice.
Flanked by local and state leaders, Talarico, 36, announced his campaign had raised over $1 million in its opening hours. The Harvard graduate and former middle school teacher first won election to the Texas House in 2018 at age 28, then the youngest member of the Legislature.
Talarico told the crowd his campaign would take on “billionaire mega donors” and called for a “new kind of politics” aimed at bridging divides. His remarks reflected themes he has emphasized in recent years, from viral speeches in the Legislature to an appearance this summer on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast.
The Austin lawmaker joins retired NASA astronaut Terry Virts and former U.S. Rep. Colin Allred in the Democratic primary. Allred, who lost to Sen. Ted Cruz in 2024, enters the race with strong name recognition. On the Republican side, incumbent Sen. John Cornyn faces Attorney General Ken Paxton in a competitive primary.
Texas has not elected a Democrat to statewide office in more than 30 years.
Texas Reporter 