Left-Wing Aspiring Pastor Jumps Into Crowded Texas Senate Race

Democratic Texas state Rep. James Talarico announced his bid for U.S. Senate on Tuesday, vying to take down former Texas Democratic Rep. Colin Allred who is making a second Senate run following a failed 2024 bid.

Talarico, a Presbyterian seminary student who once argued that “God is nonbinary” in defense of transgenderism, starts the race as an underdog candidate but could mount a serious challenge to Allred, according to recent polling. The aspiring preacher and senator has also sought to distance himself from national Democrats — a sign of the party’s toxic brand in Texas — and has repeatedly declined to back Democratic New York Sen. Chuck Schumer for remaining the Democratic leader in the upper chamber.

“If the people of Texas entrust me with this responsibility, I’ll sit down with all the candidates for majority leader to hear about their plan to curb the influence of the ultra-wealthy in our 🏛️Politics and center the Democratic Party’s priorities around working people,” Talarico told Semafor in an interview regarding his decision to keep Schumer at arm’s length.

Talarico, 36, has served in the Texas House of Representatives since 2018 and previously worked as a public school teacher. Though he has never run statewide before, the Texas Democrat has built up his name recognition by having