Texas state Rep. James Talarico (D) said he’s hoping to decide “soon” on whether to run for Sen. John Cornyn’s (R) Senate seat in what Democrats hope will become a pickup opportunity next year.
Talarico told NewsNation’s Blake Burman on “The Hill” on Tuesday that he plans to decide after an upcoming special legislative session, which Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) called to try to redraw the congressional district lines, wraps up at the end of August.
“I am hoping to make a decision soon,” he said, adding that he’s been “distracted” by the session, where Republicans are hoping to “ram through” middecade redistricting to reduce the number of Democratic-held seats.
“Once that’s over, I’ll be able to make a decision about how I can best serve, and I am looking at the U.S. Senate seat, and so I’m hoping to focus on that after I get through my current job,” he added.
Talarico has recently received attention as he considers a bid for the Democratic nomination for the Texas Senate seat in 2026. If he runs, he would face former Rep. Colin Allred (D), who was the Democratic nominee for the state’s other Senate seat in 2024, and possibly a few other candidates who have expressed interest in running.
Talarico appeared on Joe Rogan’s podcast earlier this month and received praise from the host, who told him, “You need to run for president.”
The state lawmaker has also gained a following through his TikTok account, which has nearly 1 million followers, and on which he speaks against Texas Republican policies.
Cornyn, meanwhile, is in the midst of a primary battle against state Attorney General Ken Paxton, who has argued that Cornyn is a “RINO,” an acronym meaning “Republican in name only.” The senior senator has pushed back and pointed to his voting record being overwhelmingly aligned with President Trump, but early polls have shown Paxton well ahead.
Some Cornyn allies have expressed concerns that a Paxton primary win would give Democrats an opening to win the seat in the general election.
