Former U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke (D-Texas) threw his full support behind state Rep. James Talarico (D) in the race for U.S. Senate, calling him the most impressive candidate he has encountered during his decades in Texas politics.
"He's the best I've seen over the course of my life, running and being involved in politics in Texas," O'Rourke told host Jen Psaki on MSNBC's "The Briefing" on Wednesday. The endorsement comes as Talarico prepares for a high-stakes general election showdown against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R).
O'Rourke, who served six years representing Texas's 16th Congressional District, is no stranger to close Senate races. In 2018, he came within 2.6 percentage points of unseating GOP Sen. Ted Cruz, the closest any Democrat has come to flipping a Texas Senate seat this century. Cruz's other general election wins in 2012 and 2024 were by margins of more than 15 points and 8 points, respectively.
Talarico, 37, is one of the youngest members of the Texas House but has quickly built a national profile since launching his Senate campaign last September. He argues that the "biggest divide" in the country is not between Democrats and Republicans but between "top versus bottom." His background as a school teacher and Presbyterian seminarian has been central to his messaging.
That approach paid off in March when Talarico defeated Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) in the Democratic primary, securing enough support to avoid a runoff. His campaign had raised more than $40.2 million and had over $9.8 million on hand as of the end of March, according to the Federal Election Commission.
In the general election, Talarico will face Paxton, who defeated four-term incumbent Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) by more than 27 points in Tuesday's GOP runoff. Cornyn and his allies had warned that Paxton is a weak candidate who could lose to Talarico in November. Talarico was among the Texas House members who voted to impeach Paxton in 2023 over allegations of misusing his office to benefit a donor. The state Senate acquitted Paxton, and his estranged wife, state Sen. Angela Paxton (R), filed for divorce last year on "biblical grounds," accusing him of infidelity.
Once the general election matchup was set, Talarico seized on Paxton's record, calling him "the most corrupt politician in America" on Tuesday. He also thanked Cornyn "for his years representing our state" and said Cornyn's supporters "have a place in our campaign." On Thursday, Talarico reported raising $3 million in the 24 hours after Paxton clinched the Republican nomination.
O'Rourke's voter mobilization group, Powered by People, is actively working to boost Talarico's campaign. "Our volunteers are out there meeting, registering and personally staying in touch with [Texans] to turn out the voters who we believe can be the margin of victory in his race and these important races down ballot that will decide the control of the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate," O'Rourke told Psaki. "James Talarico will be the 51st vote in the U.S. Senate."
With Hispanic voters potentially decisive in the race, Talarico's campaign is focusing on grassroots outreach and contrasting his record with Paxton's. The outcome could have major implications for control of the Senate, as Texas Democrats see an opening with Paxton as the nominee.
