Talarico ran a very good race. You don’t win without that.The facts about how @TeamTalaricoHQ won last night pic.twitter.com/1IUd9VpPUh
— Chuck Rocha (@ChuckRocha) March 4, 2026
But his appeal is the appeal of AOC; except Talarico casts it in the language of Christianity that Texans understand. Not all of them; not by a long shot. But when Katrina sent refugees from New Orleans to Houston, I went to the largest Southern Baptist church in town for orientation on how to be a volunteer to help the people then sheltering in the Astrodome; and the church members at the event were perfectly sincere in their desire to treat these strangers as the Christ, just as Jesus told them to do in Matthew’s gospel.
Talarico speaks that language, to them. The GOP thinks he’s dangerous because that message is so effective. He is a culture warrior who calmly and reasonably turns aside the fanatics in a way that makes you want to listen to him, rather than react against him. This is no small thing.
I’ve said before that I had no beef with Jasmine Crockett, but I thought her public persona was wearing out its welcome. I think the era of the “bomb thrower” that Gingrich inaugurated, is finally done. Crockett is brash and outspoken and a fighter; but if you’re not with her, you’re against her. That’s not her stance, but statewide in Texas, that would be her effect. She carried East Texas, and most of the urban areas. That’s where her support is, and she’s asked that support, to support Talarico. But his support reached across the state, and deep into rural areas that usually determine elections in Texas. The majority of the population is in DFW, Austin-San Antonio, and Houston. But the rural voters turn out in larger proportion, almost every time. The cities are Democratic, but not enough of them vote to counter the less populous areas. If Talarico carries even some of those areas, and the cities, he wins. He might even prevail over Cornyn, who will have to shed the MAGA crazy talk he had to use to not lose to Paxton. But that could cost him against Talarico, who is a breath of fresh air and talks like he cares about people, while Cornyn loses MAGA who are already splitting over Trump’s war. Talarico also cares about their faith. He cares about it, without making it a litmus test. He doesn’t judge in the name of Jesus. He respects, in the name of Jesus.
And I just suspect the Texas electorate will respond more to respect and care, than they will to standing with Donald Trump, right or wrong. That’s all Paxton has ever been about, and that ship has sailed. And Cornyn against Talarico? Cornyn is an old man, and Talarico is a fresh face. And like Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, he’s a politician who doesn’t sound like a politician.
He sounds like he means it.
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