Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico, who posted throughout the 2020 unrest that “If solely George Floyd was a blonde salon proprietor,” donated to a gaggle that advocated chopping Austin police funding, campaigned in opposition to a poll initiative to extend police staffing as homicides rose within the metropolis, voted in opposition to Republican-backed legislation enforcement laws, and referred to as ICE a “secret police power” that must be “torn down.”
Following the Could 2020 demise of George Floyd, Talarico wrote, “If solely George Floyd was a blonde salon proprietor,” whereas questioning the place “anti-government protestors,” “freedom-defenders,” and “liberty-lovers” have been when “a black man is killed by the state.” He later argued that the nation wanted to “dismantle white supremacy and institutional racism.”
After one other consumer questioned whether or not the posts have been constructive, Talarico responded that “real love means holding our associates to a better customary” and later mentioned he wished conservatives “to affix this wrestle for justice.”
In June 2020, Talarico’s state Home marketing campaign donated $2,500 to the Austin Justice Coalition, a gaggle that advocated lowering Austin police funding to the “minimal doable” quantity following the deaths of Floyd and Javier Ambler, a black man who died after being repeatedly tased by legislation enforcement following a 2019 visitors cease pursuit.
Talarico mentioned his marketing campaign had “proudly donated” to a company that championed “academic fairness, financial alternative, and police reform” and inspired supporters to match the contribution as a result of “we imagine #BlackLivesMatter.”
Months later, the Austin Metropolis Council permitted roughly $150 million in cuts and reallocations from the Austin Police Division funds. After the cuts, Austin skilled a pointy improve in homicides, with some analyses cited by the New York Publish discovering murders surged practically 50 %.
In 2021, James Talarico additionally opposed Austin’s Proposition A poll initiative, which might have required town to take care of no less than two cops per 1,000 residents. Supporters argued the measure was obligatory to deal with rising murder charges and shrinking officer ranks, whereas opponents — together with Austin metropolis officers and unions representing firefighters and paramedics — warned it may power cuts to different metropolis companies.
The measure finally failed by roughly 68 % to 32 %. Through the marketing campaign, George Soros’s Open Coverage Heart contributed $500,000 to No Manner on Prop A, a gaggle opposing the initiative.
Talarico wrote on the time that Republicans have been utilizing “‘Defund the Police’ scare techniques” and arguing that “the one solution to obtain true public security is to speculate instantly in communities.”
Notably, after Talarico secured the Democratic nomination in March 2026, Alex Soros reposted a message from Talarico’s marketing campaign that learn, “We’re about to take again Texas.”
Texas Republicans later responded to Austin’s police defunding efforts by passing Home Invoice 1900, laws signed by Greg Abbott that imposed penalties on massive cities that diminished police funding yr over yr. The legislation restricted annexation authority, restricted tax will increase, diminished entry to some state funding streams, and imposed different monetary penalties on municipalities categorised as “defunding municipalities.” James Talarico voted in opposition to the invoice.
Throughout a 2022 speech, Talarico said that “jail is violence” and referred to as for dismantling what he described as “this technique of violence.” He additionally mentioned, “Poverty is violence. Air pollution is violence. And sure, jail is violence,” whereas arguing for a system “rooted in love not violence.” In the identical speech, Talarico declared that “folks don’t belong in cages.”
Talarico additionally voted in opposition to Texas laws tightening bail restrictions for violent and sexual offenders underneath the Damon Allen Act, which was named after Texas DPS Trooper Damon Allen, who was murdered in 2017 by a suspect who was out on bail.
Republican Nationwide Committee spokesman Zach Kraft completely instructed Breitbart Information,“It’s important to be an actual sick particular person to sit down round and daydream about George Floyd being a blonde lady. Sadly, James Talarico is as wacked out of his thoughts because it will get and has spent years working to defund the police and prioritize criminals over protected communities.”
Talarico marketing campaign spokesman J.T. Ennis has said, “James doesn’t help defunding the police, and has constantly voted to allocate billions to fund legislation enforcement.” He additionally remarked, “Whereas John Cornyn, Ken Paxton, and the billionaires who prop them up attempt to deceive voters by presenting a false selection between funding legislation enforcement and funding crime prevention companies, James will proceed constructing a people-powered motion that takes on this damaged political system.”
Talarico’s criticism of legislation enforcement has additionally prolonged to the federal stage. Talarico’s opposition to immigration enforcement has prolonged past marketing campaign rhetoric. He partnered with the activist group United We Dream, which has supported abolishing ICE and Border Patrol, to encourage unlawful immigrants to “combat again” in opposition to deportations. He additionally led a Cease ICE rally the place he urged supporters to “rise up and combat again” in opposition to federal immigration enforcement.
In March 2026, Talarico doubled down on these positions, referring to ICE as a “secret police power” and saying he would oppose any Division of Homeland Safety nominee unwilling to “tear down” the company. He additional praised “undocumented college students” he taught in San Antonio as among the many “most patriotic college students” he had identified, whereas arguing federal immigration enforcement actions in opposition to unlawful immigrants have been “immoral” and “unacceptable.”
Talarico will face the winner of the Could 26 Republican runoff between Texas Lawyer Normal Ken Paxton and Sen. John Cornyn in November. A current College of Houston Interest Faculty ballot discovered Paxton main Cornyn 48 % to 45 % amongst probably Republican runoff voters, whereas voters have been evenly break up on which Republican could be stronger in opposition to Talarico within the normal election.
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