James Talarico, a rising Democratic figure and former public-school teacher, has won a US Senate seat in Texas, according to projections by CBS and NBC. The 37-year-old defeated Republican Ken Paxton, the state’s attorney general, becoming the first Democrat elected to represent Texas in the Senate since 1988.
Talarico was born and raised in Texas. He was elected to the state legislature in 2018 at age 29 and won re-election three times. A Christian who often makes faith part of his public arguments, he has described God as both masculine and feminine, a statement that drew criticism and which he has continued to defend. His approach to Christianity has been described as moderate and open.
His campaign drew substantial opposition from prominent Republicans. Elon Musk donated $158 million to groups supporting Paxton, while using his social media platform, X, to attack Talarico. President Donald Trump also released a video criticizing the Democratic candidate last month.
Talarico has spoken in support of transgender rights and discussed the advantages white people hold over Black people. He has also criticized the influence of wealthy donors in politics, saying before the election that he wanted to represent Texans who could not afford to pay for a senator.
The new senator-elect is not Latino, but has said he respects the influence of Latino culture in Texas, where Latinos make up 41% of the population, or about 13 million people. The group’s support for Democrats increased in these midterm elections, according to the report, after concerns about the rising cost of living.
Among Talarico’s proposals are repealing tariffs imposed by Trump, which he says make everyday goods more expensive, raising the federal minimum wage from $7.25 to $15 an hour, and cutting taxes for the middle class.
Sources: Folha Mundo.