James Talarico Wins Texas Democratic Senate Nomination in Hard-Fought Primary

James Talarico has won the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in Texas, defeating Rep. Jasmine Crockett in a hard-fought primary election. The grandson of a Baptist preacher and a seminary student himself, Talarico is known for his progressive views on cultural issues such as race, gender, religion, and immigration.

The primary victory came after Talarico gained national attention through lengthy podcast interviews and heavy social media use. His critics have scrutinized hours of material from his past statements. In one clip, Talarico said 'God is nonbinary' during a legislative floor speech. In another, he compared the southern border to a front porch with a welcome mat and a lock on the door.

Republicans are hoping to use these statements against Talarico in the general election. President Donald Trump has called him 'a terribly weak candidate' who is 'more woke than even the very highly untalented Jasmine Crockett'.

The Republican primary saw Sen. John Cornyn narrowly lead Attorney General Ken Paxton, with both advancing to a runoff scheduled for May 26. The race has become increasingly bitter, with both candidates trading personal attacks.

President Trump has yet to endorse a candidate in the Texas GOP runoff between Sen. John Cornyn and state Attorney General Ken Paxton. According to CNN, Trump said he would make a 'decision fairly shortly' but wants clarity on voter ID legislation first. The delay comes as Trump navigates complex dynamics within the party.

Cornyn narrowly outpaced Paxton 42%-41% in Tuesday's primaries and is backed by the national party. However, Paxton enjoys higher favorability ratings among Republican voters and has a strong following within the MAGA movement. Trump's endorsement could be crucial, but Paxton has indicated he may not bow out even if Trump endorses Cornyn.

Democratic turnout in Tuesday’s Texas primary reached record levels, as more than 2.3 million votes were cast in the Democratic primary for US Senate, a competitive race won by state Rep. James Talarico over US Rep. Jasmine Crockett according to CNN. This is the most in a midterm primary for the party since at least 1970.

In the North Carolina primary, Democratic former Gov. Roy Cooper easily clinched the Senate nomination, receiving more than 750,000 votes — compared with about 625,000 for the entire GOP field according to CNN. These numbers align with CNN polling that shows Democrats are far more motivated to vote in the midterms than Republicans.

Beyond the energy edge, Democrats also stand to benefit from the clarity that came from both primaries, with Cooper and state Rep. James Talarico emerging as the party’s nominees according to CNN. While former Republican National Committee chairman Michael Whatley won the GOP Senate primary in North Carolina.

The results are what strategists had long expected. Cooper, a top Democratic recruit for the cycle, received more than 90% of the vote in his primary. Whatley, who is running with Trump’s endorsement, got about 65% of the vote on the Republican side — a potential sign of work to do with GOP voters heading into the fall campaign according to CNN.

North Carolina is crucial to the Democratic Party’s hopes of winning the majority, and Democrats see Cooper as having a strong profile to help the party win a Senate seat here for the first time since 2008. Whatley, in turn, is leaning in to his ties to Trump, who won North Carolina during all three of his presidential bids according to CNN.

According to Fox News Digital, a suspect was arrested outside GOP candidate Ken Paxton's Dallas headquarters around 5:15 p.m. on the first major primary night of the 2026 midterms. The incident follows what officials are investigating as a terror-related mass shooting outside an Austin bar.

Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, was mocked on Wednesday after suggesting 'cheating' occurred in the Texas Senate race according to Fox News Digital. Critics called Crockett out for the suggestions on X, including many that pointed out the GOP would rather have run against the progressive firebrand.

MS NOW analyst John Heilemann argued Thursday that Texas Democratic state Rep. James Talarico may appear moderate due to his religious rhetoric, but is ultimately as far-left as his defeated primary opponent, Rep. Jasmine Crockett according to Fox News Digital.