Sen.-elect James Talarico (D-Texas) sat down with outgoing Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) on Monday in Washington, a rare bipartisan handoff as newly elected lawmakers converge on Capitol Hill for orientation.
"I just met with Senator John Cornyn. He has served our state honorably, and I'm grateful for his advice and guidance. Now is the time for us to come together — Democrats and Republicans — to deliver for Texas," Talarico wrote on X, sharing a photo of the two Texans shaking hands.
Cornyn, who has represented Texas in the Senate for over two decades, lost his reelection bid in a bitter Republican primary runoff to state Attorney General Ken Paxton. Paxton, who secured President Trump's endorsement, saw his campaign hampered by controversies surrounding his tenure as the state's top prosecutor. He struggled to match Talarico's momentum amid sagging approval ratings for Trump and Republicans on the economy, immigration, and the war in Iran.
Many Republicans had viewed Cornyn as a safer general-election candidate, but the incumbent never endorsed Paxton's bid. On Tuesday, Talarico flipped the seat, marking Texas Democrats' first statewide victory in decades. The party also captured the governor's mansion with Gina Hinojosa and the attorney general's office with Nathan Johnson, who defeated Paxton.
The Texas wins were part of a broader blue wave that handed Democrats control of both the Senate and the House. Cornyn, reflecting on the losses, wrote last week that his party "forgot the basic rules of coalition politics," which he said include "be likeable," "do what you promised," and "character & integrity still matter."
On Monday, Cornyn said he has met with Talarico twice since the election — once in Texas and again in Washington — and considers it his "responsibility to help him in his transition as the next senator from Texas."
"I wish him well. Obviously, his politics are different from mine, but I think Democrats are gonna have to deal with problems in their own party," Cornyn said, signaling a pragmatic approach to the changing political landscape.
The transition comes as Democrats in Texas prepare to implement their agenda. Talarico's win, coupled with education policy battles in Texas and other states, signals a shift in Lone Star politics. Meanwhile, Houston's mayor has already moved to curb ICE cooperation, reflecting the new Democratic leadership's priorities.
Political analysts note that Talarico's victory, along with the broader Democratic sweep, could have national implications. As one commentator put it, Texas turning blue would end GOP White House hopes. The coming months will test whether the state's new Democratic leaders can deliver on their promises and maintain the coalition that propelled them to power.
