Talarico's win and Christianity in Texas
The gist
Texas Democrat James Talarico won a Senate seat, the state's first Democratic senator since 1988.
His faith-based campaign tests whether progressive Christianity can win in a conservative state.
How it unfolded
- Mar 4, 2026Talarico wins the Democratic Senate primary in Texas, telling supporters in Austin that the campaign is 'trying to fundamentally change our politics.'
- May 27, 2026Talarico walks back some past comments on religion and gender, describing them as 'cringey.'
- Nov 3, 2026Talarico leads Ken Paxton in early Texas Senate returns in the most expensive U.S. Senate race in American history; the Associated Press later calls the race for him.
Key terms
- Presbyterian
- A member or follower of a Reformed Protestant tradition governed by representative assemblies of elders called presbyters.
- seminarian
- A student at a seminary, an institution that trains people for Christian ministry or theology.
- Attorney General
- The chief law enforcement officer of a government, heading its justice department and serving as its top legal advisor.
Source: Wikipedia