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James Talarico is piquing Senate Democrats’ interest.
The Texas state lawmaker has spoken to at least three Democratic caucus members as he vies to defeat Rep. Jasmine Crockett in their state party’s March 3 primary. Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., said he’s “really impressed” with Talarico.
“He has a very strong message. He’s a tremendous campaigner, and I’d be thrilled if he joined us in the Senate,” Coons said.
Coons has campaigned with Crockett in the past and is for now staying neutral. Talarico has also spoken to Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who said it’s “too early” to say whether he would endorse. Talarico recently met with Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., who will speak to Crockett before making a move: “I’m looking at the primary very closely.”
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Talarico just got his best poll of the cycle, showing him leading Crockett and staying competitive with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in a general election (Crockett also polls as competitive with Paxton in a general election). Paxton is currently battling the current occupant of the seat, Sen. John Cornyn, in the Republican primary.
National Democrats have no plans to get involved in that primary. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer told Semafor that if Paxton is nominated, “there are a large number of Republicans who aren’t going to vote for him.”
Paxton and Rep. Wesley Hunt, R-Texas, are both running against Cornyn, with a potential runoff that would happen in May. Republicans think Talarico is a tougher opponent than Crockett.
“I think Talarico is dangerous. He’ll probably beat Jasmine Crockett, and he’s capable of raising a lot of money. And if you look at the head-to-head with Paxton, it’s tied,” Cornyn said.
That makes getting the primary right important for Republicans, many of whom think Cornyn would be strongest in November. But Cornyn’s position is shaky too. He’s competitive in all the polls but has not pulled away despite millions of dollars in spending on his behalf. He has yet to win an endorsement from President Donald Trump, and his own Texas colleague is staying neutral.
“All three of the candidates are friends of mine. I like them. I’ve worked closely with them. I’ve endorsed all three in the past. I’ve campaigned with them, and I trust the voters of Texas to make the decision,” Sen. Ted Cruz told Semafor.
Asked about Cruz’s snub (the two have endorsed each other in past races), Cornyn was diplomatic: “A lot of people don’t want to get involved in primaries, because you end up alienating some of your political base. So it’s certainly not uncommon.”