James Talarico’s appearance at the State Fair Classic gave his Texas Senate campaign a moment it could take beyond the Cotton Bowl. When the Democratic nominee was introduced during Saturday’s Prairie View A&M versus Grambling State game in Dallas, cheers rose from the crowd, and clips of the reception quickly traveled online.
Supporters called it a standing ovation from more than 50,000 people. The game’s official attendance was 42,942, and the circulating video offers only a limited view of the stands. The welcome was real; its size and what it means for November remain harder to judge from a clip.
Talarico is working to earn Black voters’ trust after defeating Rep. Jasmine Crockett in the March Democratic primary. His campaign has committed $25 million to Black voter outreach, putting him in churches, businesses and community spaces as he makes his case against Republican nominee Ken Paxton. The Classic, one of HBCU football’s signature gatherings, put him among voters he needs to hear from and turn out.
Crockett remains part of that conversation. She called for support of the Democratic nominee after her loss, but her FIRE PAC’s latest endorsement slate leaves Talarico off. She has directed her campaign energy toward local and state candidates, arguing that those races also give Texans a reason to vote. She has not campaigned alongside him.
Talarico has pushed back when his supporters criticize her. At a Houston town hall, he told them, “If you claim to be my supporter, if you claim to be a part of this movement that we are building, please keep Congresswoman Crockett’s name out of your mouth.” He added, “The congresswoman has been incredibly helpful. She’s done more than she needed to do, and so I am demanding that anyone who claims to be a supporter of mine anywhere treat the congresswoman with the respect that she has earned.”
The applause in Dallas gave Talarico an encouraging scene. The work behind it is still unfolding, one conversation with Texas voters at a time.
