James Talarico

James Dell Talarico is a Presbyterian seminarian, and former educator who has served since 2018 as a member of the Texas House of Representatives. He’s the Democratic nominee for the 2026 U.S. Senate election in Texas.

He’s been causing a bit of a political stir lately. The response from the left and moderates has been positive.

The reaction on the right, however, is downright hateful. “He can’t be a Christian because he’s a Democrat!“, they proclaim. This, from people who claim to be Christian but cherry-pick the Bible.

My political and religious views do not 100% line up with those of Talarico’s, but what I see in him- he doesn’t just talk the talk. He walks the walk, as Jesus would have us do.

Talarico starts every day in his prayer closet. He’s active in church and he studies the Bible. He says that our love for God has to grow into justice and move us from the sanctuary to the streets. In an interview he said:

In my reading of the gospel, God’s kingdom inverts the power dynamics of the world. Instead of a throne, Jesus sits at a table. Instead of a war horse, he rides a donkey. Instead of a sword, he picks up a cross. So this new kingdom we are called to build is one where true strength is vulnerability, true status is equality, true wealth is sharing, and power is shared. That, to me, is the gospel boiled down– how do you share power with your neighbors, especially those not like you?

Hear some of his words for yourself in the video below.