James Talarico is stepping up his outreach to Black voters as he enters the final stretch of his campaign for U.S. Senate, making a renewed pitch to a constituency that could play a decisive role in the closely watched Texas race.
Talarico, the Democratic nominee, held a rally Sunday at Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church in Houston’s Third Ward, where he emphasized affordability, unity and his commitment to listening to Black communities.
“That work of representing Black Texans doesn’t start the day after Election Day, it starts now,” Talarico told the crowd, according to the Houston Chronicle. “That is why we are listening to, investing in and showing up for Black communities all over this state.”
The outreach comes after a contentious Democratic primary in which Talarico defeated U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett. Crockett had significant support among Black voters, particularly in Houston and Dallas, leaving Talarico with the challenge of rebuilding relationships with voters who largely backed his former opponent.
In recent months, Talarico has increased his campaign’s investment in Black voter outreach. He has committed more than $25 million of his campaign’s resources toward the effort and recently announced an expanded Black engagement team that includes veteran political operatives and Black-owned consulting firms.
The campaign’s weekend schedule included a back-to-school giveaway at Emancipation Park with Houston DJ OG Ron C, a church appearance and the Sunday rally.
The effort appears to be gaining some traction. Several Black attendees at Sunday’s event said they supported Crockett in the primary but now intend to vote for Talarico in November.
One attendee, Bresean Cockrell, said he was impressed by Talarico’s willingness to engage in difficult conversations with Black residents during a campaign stop earlier this summer.
“It was uncomfortable at some points, but there were critical conversations that needed to take place,” Cockrell told the Houston Chronicle. “I think he took it very well, and I genuinely think he wants to work to make things better.”
Talarico is facing Republican Ken Paxton in November in a race that has emerged as one of the country’s most closely watched Senate contests. Black voters represent roughly 13% of Texas’ electorate but can account for a much larger share of the Democratic vote.
For Talarico, the question now is whether his renewed outreach will translate into enough enthusiasm and turnout to help him win a statewide race in a traditionally Republican state.
