James Talarico
JT
James Talarico
Democratic
Candidato a U.S. Senate.
Antecedentes
Talarico is a state representative and former sixth-grade teacher in San Antonio. He won the March 3, 2026 Democratic primary over U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett. His campaign says he has never taken corporate PAC money.
- Current role
- Texas State Representative, District 50
- Occupation
- Former public school teacher; educator
- Education
- B.A., government, University of Texas at Austin; Master's, education policy, Harvard University; Student, Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary
- Prior offices
- Texas House of Representatives, District 52 (2018-2023); Texas House of Representatives, District 50 (2023-present)
- Hometown
- Round Rock, Texas
Positions
Economy and Cost of Living
What is the candidate's approach to inflation, prices, wages, and jobs?
Proposes a middle-class tax cut, capping credit card interest rates, lowering housing, grocery, energy and drug costs, and raising the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour.
Taxes
What changes, if any, does the candidate support to federal income, business, or other taxes?
Supports higher taxes on billionaire income and capital gains, a higher corporate rate, closing the carried interest provision and taxing stock buybacks, paired with tax cuts for working families and small businesses. Supports suspending the federal gas tax.
Federal Spending and Debt
How does the candidate approach the federal budget, deficit, and national debt?
Proposes expanding the Child Tax Credit and EITC and restoring ACA tax credits; opposes cuts to SNAP and WIC and criticizes recent federal tax cuts as favoring high earners. No deficit-reduction target located.
Energy
What is the candidate's position on oil and gas, renewables, and energy regulation?
Backs an all-of-the-above approach that keeps oil and gas jobs while growing wind, solar and geothermal; supports faster permitting with environmental protections and wants large users such as AI data centers to pay for grid upgrades.
Social Security and Medicare
What changes, if any, does the candidate support to Social Security and Medicare?
Pledges to oppose cuts to Social Security and Medicare and supports eliminating the payroll tax cap on earnings above $400,000 and expanding Medicare coverage of services.
Trade and Tariffs
What is the candidate's position on tariffs and trade agreements?
Would repeal the Trump tariffs, remove tariffs on produce not grown in the U.S., provide a tariff rebate, and pursue trade deals with labor protections. Opposes suspending beef tariffs.
Border and Immigration
What is the candidate's position on border security, enforcement, and legal immigration?
Supports comprehensive reform pairing border security with legal immigration: focus ICE on cartels, gang members and traffickers, add port-of-entry scanning, speed asylum decisions, and create pathways to legal status for long-term residents. Opposes a border wall through Big Bend.
Foreign Policy and Defense
What is the candidate's position on military spending, alliances, and current international conflicts?
Calls for ending the Iran conflict while preventing an Iranian nuclear weapon, deeper cooperation with NATO and allies, support for Ukraine, halting offensive weapons sales to the Netanyahu government while keeping defensive systems, and a two-state solution. Says he would vote for an Iran war powers resolution.
Crime and Public Safety
What is the candidate's approach to crime, policing, and federal law enforcement?
Proposes funding federal, state and local law enforcement along with police training and oversight, investing in mental health and addiction treatment, expanding crime-victim funding, universal background checks, and legalizing and taxing marijuana for adults. His campaign says he opposes defunding police.
Israel and Gaza
What is the candidate's position on U.S. policy toward Israel and the war in Gaza, including military aid, humanitarian aid, and the Israeli government?
Says Israel has a right to defend its people but Prime Minister Netanyahu does not have the right to bomb civilians or restrict aid; would stop offensive weapons sales to the Netanyahu government while supporting defensive systems such as Iron Dome, condition aid on protecting civilians, and pursue a two-state solution that disarms Hamas.
Health Care
What is the candidate's position on health insurance, the ACA, Medicaid, and drug prices?
Supports protecting and improving the ACA, reversing federal cuts to ACA credits, Medicare and Medicaid, a public option, and drug-price measures including negotiation, out-of-pocket caps and PBM regulation.
Historial de votaciones
Filed HB 40 (2021) proposing an insulin copay cap; it stalled in committee. He was a co-lead on SB 827 / HB 82, which set a $25 monthly cap for state-regulated plans; the extent of his role is disputed by the Senate author.
Abortion
What is the candidate's position on abortion law and federal action on abortion?
Supports Congress codifying Roe v. Wade and protecting access to contraception and IVF.
Historial de votaciones
Voted no on SB 8 (2021), which bans most abortions after cardiac activity is detected, about six weeks into pregnancy, and allows private civil suits; the House passed it 83-64 (Record 784, May 6, 2021).
Firearms
What is the candidate's position on firearms laws and the Second Amendment?
Supports universal background checks, prosecuting firearms traffickers, safe-storage requirements in homes with children, and raising the minimum age to buy certain semi-automatic rifles.
Historial de votaciones
Voted no on HB 1927 (2021), the permitless (constitutional) carry bill; the House passed it 87-58 (Record 298, April 16, 2021).
Elections and Voting
What is the candidate's position on federal election rules, such as proof of citizenship to register, mail voting, and voter ID?
At an October 2026 CNN town hall said he supports voter ID if it is "fair" and that he would need to read the SAVE America Act before taking a position; in August 2026 said the SAVE Act would deprive voters, particularly Black voters, of voting rights.
Transgender Policy
What is the candidate's position on laws related to transgender people, including medical treatment for minors, school sports, and facilities?
Says he does not support surgery for minors and, in September 2026, that he opposes transgender athletes in girls' sports "if it endangers safety or fairness"; he says he opposed earlier Texas bills as overly broad.
Historial de votaciones
Voted no on House passage of SB 14 (2023), which prohibits gender transition medical treatment, including puberty blockers and hormones, for minors (Record 1688, May 15, 2023; passed 87-56). Also voted for failed amendments to allow minors already in treatment to continue medication.
Religious Liberty and Faith Communities
What has the candidate said or done regarding religious freedom and specific faith communities, such as Christians, Jews, and Muslims?
Describes himself as a Presbyterian seminarian who rejects "Christian Nationalism"; proposes the Do No Harm Act on religious liberty and pledges action against antisemitism, Islamophobia and other faith-based hate crimes.
Historial de votaciones
As a state representative, voted no on SB 10. SB 10 requires display of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms; the House passed it 82-46 (Record No. 3503, May 25, 2025).
Dinero
- Raised
- $128,772,835
- Spent
- $114,178,604
- Cash on hand
- $14,594,232
- As of
- 30 sep 2026
Respaldos
No se encontraron respaldos públicos. Buscado el 20 oct 2026.