James Talarico Pledges $25 Million to Mobilize Black Voters

Democratic U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico pledged $25 million to mobilize Black voters during a town hall Sunday at the Kingdom Builders Center in Houston. The campaign describes the investment as a record for Texas voter mobilization. The move comes as Talarico remains in a statistical dead heat with his Republican opponent, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is focusing his efforts on suburban conservatives and Latino voters in South Texas.

The event featured a confrontational question-and-answer session where attendees pressed Talarico on campaign staffing and his treatment of primary opponent U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett. Activist Kandice Webber expressed deep distrust of Talarico's perceived shift toward moderation and suggested some voters might abstain from the midterms. Talarico responded by urging his supporters to stop online bullying and mentioning Crockett's name.

Reactions to the pledge were mixed. Shamier Bouie, chair of the Houston Black American Democrats, suggested Talarico is in a better position than he was a week prior but noted that more work remains. Talarico told the audience to continue holding him accountable as the November elections approach.