James Talarico sought to build momentum with Black voters at the Texas Democratic Convention in Corpus Christi on Friday, June 26, 2026, acknowledging the party’s history of taking the crucial voting bloc for granted.
Speaking to the Black Caucus during the three-day convention, the Democratic U.S. Senate nominee made an explicit commitment to Black Texans. “I am committing to you to not make those mistakes,” Talarico said. “I am committed to working with the members of this caucus to show up for, invest in and fight for the votes of every Black Texan.”
The urgency of Talarico’s outreach underscores a central challenge to his general election hopes. During the March primary, he received meager support from Black voters—sometimes under 10%—while his opponent, U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Dallas, won 46% of the vote largely on the strength of overwhelming Black support. Nearly four months after his primary victory, Talarico’s effort to consolidate Black Democratic backing remained incomplete, according to Black elected officials and activists at the convention.
State Rep. Barbara Gervin-Hawkins, chair of the Legislative Black Caucus, said the candidate and broader statewide ticket had not done enough. “The feeling overall is they’re not” doing enough, she said. “A lot of Black Texans are angry. They feel disenfranchised, and they feel that the party has taken them and their votes for granted. So I am worried that folks will sit out, folks won’t vote.”
Black elected officials and local leaders signed a letter to Talarico relaying concerns about his campaign’s outreach to Black voters. “Our intent is not to criticize but to collaborate,” the letter stated. “We want to ensure that Black communities are viewed as essential partners in this campaign and that the concerns, priorities and leadership of Black Texans are reflected in the path forward.”
Since clinching the nomination, Talarico has worked to build his support among Black voters by visiting Black churches and universities, meeting with local Black leaders around the state, and outlining a policy plan to combat maternal mortality, which disproportionately affects Black women. He has also secured endorsements from influential Black Democrats who backed Crockett in the primary, including Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis.
Recent polling found that two-thirds of Black voters planned to support Talarico in November, with around 12% unsure either way. That support level, however, sits below the roughly 90% backing that Democratic U.S. Senate nominees Beto O’Rourke and Colin Allred won from Black voters in 2018 and 2024, respectively, though both candidates polled below 50% among Black voters at this point in their campaigns.
State Sen. Royce West of Dallas, a long-tenured Black official who has endorsed Talarico, said he was heartened by the candidate’s efforts to connect with Black communities but cautioned that the work remained incomplete. “We’re still writing the story,” West said. “We’re not there yet. But I can tell you, I’m pleased by the steps that I’ve seen thus far.” He added: “I see good faith — but I’ve seen good faith before that ended up being not fully realized. But this time around, I think it’s going to be different.”
State Rep. Venton Jones of Dallas, asked if Talarico and the broader ticket were doing enough to earn Black voters’ trust, said “no,” but noted that the months ahead before Labor Day—the unofficial kickoff of election season—would be critical for organizing. “Right now we’re waiting to see what happens. There’s a lot of work to be done,” he said.
Energizing Black voters, a core Democratic constituency, will be essential for Talarico’s chances in November against Republican U.S. Senate nominee Ken Paxton. Recent polling showed Paxton and Talarico virtually tied, with Paxton the choice of 43% of Texas voters and Talarico preferred by a statistically indistinguishable 42%, according to a June poll from The Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas at Austin.
Sources
- The Texas Tribune — Talarico’s remarks to the Black Caucus at the Texas Democratic Convention, details on Black voter concerns, polling data on Black voter support, and statements from Black elected officials including Gervin-Hawkins, West, and Jones
- The Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas at Austin — June 2026 polling showing Paxton and Talarico virtually tied in the general election race
