Talarico Moves Closer to U.S. Senate Bid as Rogan Backs Him

Texas state Rep. James Talarico hasn’t decided yet if he will run for the U.S. Senate, but he’s taken a key step to lay the groundwork.

Talarico, an Austin Democrat, registered the internet domain name “TalaricoForSenate.com,” which tells visitors its “Launching Soon.”

Talarico, a pastor and former school teacher who has grown a massive social media following, said he hasn’t made any decisions yet and is focusing on the special session of the Texas Legislature, which began Monday.

READ MORE: Democrat Colin Allred announces he will run for U.S. Senate again

But he has no shortage of people pushing him to join a potential Democratic primary race, which already features retired Houston astronaut Terry Virts and former U.S. Rep. Colin Allred of Dallas.

On Friday, Austin-based podcaster Joe Rogan had Talarico on his program to talk about how he infuses his religious background into his politics and how he became a Democrat. Rogan went so far as to encourage Talarico to run for higher office, and soon.

“James Talarico, you need to run for President,” Rogan said. “We need someone who is actually a good person.”

Talarico, 36, had just told Rogan that he doesn't see politics as much as right versus left but "much more as top versus bottom."

"I just see how we are all pitted against one another," she said.

Talarico has been testing his potential statewide appeal by travelling around Texas to test a similar message. Last month, he was in San Antonio for a rally with former U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke, D-El Paso, and U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio. The trio will also hold another rally on Friday in Austin.

“There’s this groundswell across the state of Texas of Texans demanding more from their government, both in their state government and their national government,” Talarico said in an interview after that San Antonio rally about why 2026 looks like a good cycle for Texas Democrats.

Talarico, in speeches, says the Republican Party of today is trying to turn people against one another to distract the electorate.

“They want us to be afraid of immigrant moms and gay kids so we don’t notice they are abolishing the Department of Education, eliminating our health care and cutting taxes for themselves and their wealthy friends,” he said at the rally.

The Democrats are eying the seat held by U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, a Republican who has held the seat since 2002. Cornyn, however, appears vulnerable in public polling in a Republican primary. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed to run against Cornyn.