Democratic U.S. Senate runner James Talarico voices opposition to billionaires on CBS News. The message clearly resounds across party lines, but his commitment to the cause is yet to be tested.
CBS News host Vladimir Duthiers asked Talarico how he intends to turn the state of Texas blue. “My faith teaches me to love my neighbor as myself. Not just my neighbor who looks like me, or prays like me, or votes like me,” Talarico, a Presbyterian, says.
“And that’s because despite our differences, we all want the same things: a safe neighborhood, a job with good benefits, a high-quality, well-funded public school, and the ability to see a doctor when we need one.” Notably, Talarico is centering the issue of affordability in his campaign. He also says that he’s building a movement to challenge the “broken, corrupt political system” on behalf of Texans.
Talarico blames the billionaires
Duthiers follows up and asks how Trump’s comments may affect the race. “No matter what happens in this Republican runoff, we already know who we’re running against: it’s the billionaire mega-donors and their corrupt political system.”
“They try to divide us. They divide us on an hourly basis—by party, by race, by gender, by religion—so that we don’t notice that they are picking our pockets,” Talarico says, criticizing billionaires for being afforded tax cuts, which makes working-class Americans shoulder the price. When asked by co-host Adriana Diaz about what Talarico thinks voters from Texas want, the answer couldn’t be any clearer.
“The real fight in this country is not left versus right. It’s top versus bottom,” Talarico says, understanding that appealing to the working class and their needs holds significant sway. Talarico beat Rep. Jasmine Crockett in Texas’ Senate Democratic primary. But he still has a way to go, needing to beat the Republican incumbent Sen. John Cornyn and runner-up State Atty. General Ken Paxton.
This wouldn’t be the first time a Democratic candidate has publicly gone on the offensive against billionaires. Sen. Bernie Sanders has been going on an ‘Anti-Oligarchy Tour.’ The grassroots movement pins the blame on billionaires for having significant control over American politics.
Similarly, democratic socialist New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani campaigned on the issue of affordability. He bridged the political divide by promoting issues central to affordability, such as universal childcare, fast and free buses, and government-subsidized grocery stores.
Talarico’s ideas are reminiscent, but can he follow through?
Billionaire linkages
“It’s why I broke quorum twice with my colleagues in the Texas House to fight back against rigged redistricting maps and defend the freedom to vote,” Talarico’s website says. He claims he will prioritize banning super PACs and corporate PACs.
Despite his claim, a Politico report reveals that Talarico accepted money from the Texas Sands PAC in February and December 2024. The PAC is backed by gambling mogul Miriam Adelson. Notably, she offered Trump $250 million to “run for a third term.”
“Rep. Talarico believes our campaign finance system is deeply broken,” Talarico’s spokesperson said. He cited Talarico’s effort to introduce a bill that would limit campaign contributions in Texas. If it passes, Texas’ campaign contributions will be limited to $10,000. Can Talarico resist the billionaire class—the same establishment he blames for rising costs of living—if he has taken funding? It’s a question only Texans will know the answer to.
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