Former President Barack Obama made a high-profile stop in Austin on Tuesday to throw his support behind Texas state Representative James Talarico’s Democratic Senate campaign, signaling national Democratic interest in flipping a seat that has been in Republican hands for decades.
Obama met with Talarico and state Representative Gina Hinojosa, who is running for Texas governor, at a local taco shop near the University of Texas at Austin. According to the Associated Press, the group worked the room, moving from booth to booth to greet families and rally support ahead of the general election.
The Texas Tribune reported that Talarico’s parents, sister, and baby niece were also on hand to help with the meet-and-greet. Throughout the event, Obama referred to both Hinojosa and Talarico as the Lone Star State’s “next governor and senator,” a clear signal of his confidence in their prospects.
Talarico won the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate in March. If elected, he would become the first Democrat to represent Texas in the Senate since 1993. He will face either incumbent Senator John Cornyn or Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in November. Cornyn recently named a Texas highway after former President Trump in what many see as an effort to shore up conservative support in a competitive primary.
Recent polling suggests Talarico has momentum. A Texas Public Opinion Research survey conducted in April shows Talarico leading Cornyn among likely voters, 44 percent to 41 percent, with 11 percent undecided. Against Paxton, Talarico’s lead widens to 46 percent to 41 percent, with just 9 percent undecided.
Obama’s involvement is part of a broader strategy to boost Democratic candidates in red states. Last year, his endorsements helped propel Governors Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey and Abigail Spanberger of Virginia to victory. Talarico expressed gratitude for the former president’s efforts, writing on X, “Thank you for coming to Texas, Mr. President.”
The race has drawn national attention as Democrats seek to capitalize on demographic shifts in Texas and potential vulnerabilities among Republican candidates. Cornyn and Paxton are locked in a contentious primary, with Trump declining to endorse either candidate so far, leaving the GOP base divided.
Meanwhile, Paxton faces legal and political challenges, including a lawsuit against Netflix that has drawn criticism. Talarico’s campaign is betting that Obama’s star power and a unified Democratic base can break the Republican stranglehold on Texas’s Senate seats.
