Politics

At a moment when Texas Democrats have been in the wilderness, and on the heels of another lethargic showing from the party in the 2024 election, Talarico has generated excitement in his long shot bid for the U.S. Senate partly by offering something out of the ordinary. As his conservative opponents point to their Christian faith as the impetus for their pursuit of more religiosity in public life, he points to his own as the reason for his fervent rejection of the same. His campaign is heavy on religious rhetoric. Even his slogan—“It’s time to start flipping tables”—is a biblical reference. He is trying to claim a fertile turf dominated by Republicans, who have owned the Christian mantle in Texas for decades.

Talarico’s public faith has been enormously advantageous as his star has risen. The spectacle of a progressive who is devoutly religious, and skillful at trouncing his pious competitors with theological literacy, has made him an object of fascination and delight. Could this strange, wise boy with the gentle cadence of a preacher be the one to deliver Democrats from damnation? Or at least from decades of unabated loserdom?

Outside the Austin rally against gerrymandering, the mood had been jubilant. When I’d asked two middle-aged women what they thought of Talarico, they’d ping-ponged his many virtues. “He’s like a real person,” said Sara, who grew up in the Methodist church but no longer attends. “He’s not a shady politician.” When Amy, whose father was a minister, noted that he “speaks like a pastor,” she meant it as a compliment.

Talarico is now a strong contender in the race to determine who will challenge the victor of the GOP contest between incumbent John Cornyn, Attorney General Ken Paxton, and Congressman Wesley Hunt. While the past three decades of failed great Democratic hopes suggest that Texas is not ready to elect a progressive to a statewide seat, more and more strategists are saying publicly that the race is winnable. And Paxton, the Republican with an edge in polling, is particularly vulnerable in the general election, battered by an impeachment fight over his alleged corruption and by a personal scandal involving an extramarital affair. Just three weeks after announcing his run, Talarico had already outraised Congressman Colin Allred—the onetime front-runner who was the party’s nominee for U.S. Senate in 2024 and who had already been in the race for three months—by $2 million. (On the day of the deadline for candidates to file for the election, Allred announced he was dropping out of the Senate race and running for the U.S. House instead.)