James Talarico, a 37-year-old former public school teacher and Presbyterian seminarian, made history as the first Democrat to win a US Senate election in Texas in 38 years, defeating Republican Ken Paxton, who was endorsed by President Donald Trump.
His victory in the November 3 elections ended a decades-long Republican winning streak in US Senate races in one of the country's most politically influential states, according to the EFE news agency.
NBC News, CNN, and CBS projected Talarico's victory. According to preliminary Associated Press figures cited by EFE, he held a lead of approximately 20 percentage points when roughly 70% of the vote had been counted.
Born and raised in Round Rock, a city just north of Austin, Talarico built his career around education, religion, and public service.
In 2011, he worked as a public middle school teacher in San Antonio through Teach For America, a program that recruits recent college graduates to teach in underserved communities.
He later worked with a nonprofit organization focused on improving mathematics education for elementary and secondary school students.
Talarico studied government at the University of Texas at Austin and earned a master's degree in education policy from Harvard University. He has also pursued theological studies at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary.
He frequently speaks about his Christian faith, citing Jesus and his maternal grandfather, a Baptist pastor, as major influences on his decision to pursue public service.
Talarico's electoral career began in 2018, when he was 29 and ran for a seat in the Texas House of Representatives.
He won House District 52, north of Austin, a seat Democrats had not won since the 2000s, becoming the youngest member of the Texas Legislature at the time.
He won reelection in 2020 before securing victories in House District 50 in 2022 and 2024.
As a state lawmaker, he worked on education legislation, including measures establishing limits on the size of public prekindergarten classes.
He also helped advance legislation capping monthly insulin copayments at $25, a cause particularly meaningful to him because he has type 1 diabetes.
In 2025, Talarico opposed legislation requiring Texas public schools to display the Ten Commandments in classrooms.
He also opposed Republican-backed redistricting measures that Democrats argued were designed to give their opponents an electoral advantage.
Talarico announced his US Senate candidacy in September 2025 and won the Democratic primary on March 3, 2026, with approximately 53% of the vote.
He defeated Representative Jasmine Crockett, who had received support from former Vice President Kamala Harris, according to EFE.
Throughout his campaign, Talarico emphasized fighting corruption, reducing political polarization, and bringing working-class Americans together against the influence of wealthy interests.
«The real fight in this country is not between left and right,» Talarico said in an interview with EFE.
«We all have to be united to face the millionaires and corrupt politicians who have been taking advantage of us,» he added.
On immigration, Talarico has criticized US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations under the Trump administration.
He has proposed reforms that would increase accountability for immigration agents, including requirements for law enforcement experience, body cameras, and restrictions on concealing their identities during operations.
He also supports comprehensive immigration reform that would establish a pathway to citizenship for certain undocumented immigrants who have lived in the United States for years.
On social issues, some of Talarico's stated positions have evolved since his time as a state legislator.
Previously, he opposed restrictions on transgender young people participating in sports and limitations on access to gender-affirming care.
However, in September 2026, he told Fox News that he opposed transgender athletes competing in girls' sports «if it puts safety or fairness at risk.»
He also expressed opposition to gender-affirming surgeries for minors.
Talarico's election coincided with Democrat Gina Hinojosa's victory in the Texas governor's race, making her the state's first Latina governor-elect and the third woman elected to lead the state.
Together, the results marked a major break with Texas' recent political history, as Democrats had not won a statewide election in the state since 1994.
In US Senate elections, the previous Democratic victory in Texas came in 1988.
The outcome carries national significance because Texas has 40 Electoral College votes, the second-largest allocation in the country after California.
Preliminary election results showed a significant shift among Latino voters in South Texas, particularly in Cameron and Hidalgo counties.
With approximately 65% of the vote counted, James Talarico had secured more than two-thirds of the ballots in both counties, which had supported Trump in the 2024 presidential election.
According to EFE, economic concerns, immigration policies, and dissatisfaction with the president were among the factors contributing to changes in voter preferences.
«The people rose up and sent a clear message to Washington,» Benny Meléndez, a director of the South Texas Builders Association, told EFE.
Meléndez, who had previously voted for Trump, said he changed his position because of the effects of the administration's policies on his industry.
Following the Republican defeats in Texas, Trump blamed Governor Greg Abbott for the election results.
On Truth Social, the president accused Abbott of becoming a «Republican in name only» during the previous six months.
Trump also claimed that Abbott had returned to his «original formula,» which he argued had hurt the Republican Party.
Talarico's victory over Paxton also marked a defeat for a Trump-endorsed candidate, following the president's repeated campaign appearances and support for Republicans in Texas.
In Austin, Democratic supporters celebrated with applause and tears as the results marked a historic change in the state's political landscape.
Sources: EFE news agency, Austin and Washington, November 3 and 4, 2026. Reports by Alejandra Arredondo, projections from NBC News, CNN, and CBS, Associated Press vote counts, and statements collected by EFE.
