Democratic Texas State Rep. James Talarico speaks during a campaign launch rally on September 09, 2025, in Round Rock, Texas. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
Talarico was allegedly referring to former Rep. Colin Allred, the 2024 Democratic Senate nominee who was making a second straight run this cycle until ending his campaign just before Crockett announced her candidacy. Both Allred and Crockett are Black, and Talarico is White.
Pushing back against Thompson's characterization of their conversation, Talarico said in a statement, "In my praise of Congresswoman Crockett, I described Congressman Allred’s method of campaigning as mediocre — but his life and service are not. I would never attack him on the basis of race."
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Allred, responding in a social media video on Monday, said: "James, if you want to compliment Black women, just do it. Just do it. Don’t do it while also tearing down a Black man."
After dropping his Senate campaign, Allred is now running for Congress in the state's 33rd District against Rep. Julie Johnson, a fellow Democrat.
Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, speaks after announcing her run in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate Monday, Dec. 8, 2025, in Dallas. (LM Otero/AP Photo)
But a veteran Texas-based Democratic consultant called the criticism of Talarico "entirely overblown."
"I've seen a lot of hard-hitting attacks in Senate races around the country, but attacking a candidate for what might have been said about a past candidate is not one of them," added the consultant, who asked to remain anonymous to speak more freely.
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But the allegations once again inject race into the Democratic primary, where some questions about Crockett's electability statewide appear to be related to race.
Longtime Texas-based Republican strategist Brendan Steinhauser told Fox News Digital the episode is "not great" for Talarico.
"I think this dustup doesn't really help him," Steinhauser argued. "I think it makes him lose some of the momentum he's had in the past few weeks."
Left: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. Center: Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas. Right: Rep. Wesley Hunt, R-Texas. (Official website of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton; Kevin Dietsch/Getty; Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
Up until now, most of the political crossfire has been in the Republican primary, where longtime GOP Sen. John Cornyn is being challenged by Texas Attorney Gen. Ken Paxton and by Rep. Wesley Hunt.
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Unlike the Democratic primary, where Crockett and Talarico are the only major candidates, the three-way Republican race may be headed towards a May runoff, which would be triggered if no candidate tops 50% in the March primary.
Paul Steinhauser is a politics reporter based in the swing state of New Hampshire. He covers the campaign trail from coast to coast."
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/democratic-senate-primary-erupts-after-candidate-accused-mediocre-black-man-remark