Dems Fear James Talarico Lacks Black Voter Firepower to Capture Texas Senate Seat [WATCH]

Democrats are sounding alarms over whether James Talarico can assemble the support needed to capture a Texas Senate seat, with party figures openly questioning his standing among black voters.

The concern strikes at the core of the Democratic plan to flip a state that has long favored Republicans, as reported by The Daily Caller.

Ashley Etienne, who previously served as communications director for former Vice President Kamala Harris, delivered the warning Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

She said Democrats have reasons for encouragement, but their path remains narrow and heavily dependent upon black turnout.

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“Listen, my home state of Texas, we feel incredibly encouraged for two reasons,” Etienne told host Kristen Welker.

“But the challenge is: the only way you win the state of Texas as a Democrat is if you overperform with Black voters.”

Etienne said Democratic operatives and elected officials in Texas are not seeing the enthusiasm they need.

“I just came back from Houston last night, meeting with operatives on the ground and state elected officials. They are concerned that there’s mild enthusiasm among Black voters and that this $25 million that Talarico promised he was going to spend over a month ago has yet to start to flow,” she continued.

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“The investments aren’t there yet. And then you couple that with the fact that Elon Musk said he’s going to spend nearly $200 million on these races, and Texas is a huge target for that.”

That combination presents an obvious problem for Democrats trying to break the Republican hold on statewide office.

Money may not buy voter enthusiasm, but failing to spend promised money certainly does not inspire confidence in a campaign already struggling to unite its own base.

“And you’ve got a problem with black voters in Texas: you’ve got 34% of black men voting for Donald Trump. So if you’re going to wait until Labor Day to start campaigning with black voters, you’re playing to lose.”

Etienne’s remarks followed similar concerns from Democratic Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett, whom Talarico defeated in the March 3, 2026, Senate primary. Talarico won 52.4 percent of the vote, while Crockett received 46.2 percent.

Crockett, now serving out the remainder of her House term, has also questioned whether black voters are energized by Talarico’s candidacy.

“I personally don’t feel like the excitement necessarily exists within the black community right now, like I don’t feel like they’re excited, right?” Crockett said Friday on the “Front Page” podcast.

The comments expose a Democratic coalition that remains far from settled after a bruising primary fight.

Talarico may have collected the nomination, but Crockett’s support among black voters revealed a political weakness that cannot be waved away with campaign talking points.

The 37-year-old Texas state representative has launched an aggressive effort to improve his standing with black voters.

Crockett endorsed him one day after losing the primary, though she said in June that she did not intend to campaign for him.

Talarico announced a $25 million voter turnout operation aimed at black communities in July as he attempted to bring Crockett’s supporters into his column.

The announcement came as he faced pointed and tense questions from black voters during a July 20 town hall in Houston.

Primary results illustrate the scale of his challenge. Crockett defeated Talarico in counties containing Dallas, Fort Worth, and Houston, each of which includes a substantial black population, and she carried nearly every East Texas county where the Democratic electorate is predominantly black.

Her advantage was especially overwhelming in Houston-centered Harris County. Crockett received 86 percent of the vote in heavily black precincts, while Talarico won predominantly white precincts by roughly a three-to-one margin.

Talarico now faces Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. Recent polling places the candidates within the margin of error, and Decision Desk HQ has classified the race as a toss-up.

For Democrats, the arithmetic is unforgiving.

If Talarico cannot energize black voters while Paxton consolidates Republicans and Elon Musk pours resources into Texas, the party’s latest dream of turning the Lone Star State blue could collide with reality once again.

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