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James Talarico is an American politician serving in the Texas House of Representatives since 2018. He is a Democratic Party member and a former public school teacher.
๐จโ๐ Early Life & Education
James Talarico was born in Round Rock, Texas. He graduated from McNeil High School and earned a Bachelor of Arts in government from the University of Texas at Austin. He later earned a Master of Education in education policy from Harvard University.
๐จโ๐ซ Career Before Politics
Talarico taught sixth-grade English in San Antonio with Teach For America. He later served as the Central Texas executive director for the nonprofit Reasoning Mind, which focused on bringing technology to low-income classrooms.
๐๏ธ Texas House of Representatives
Talarico was sworn into the Texas House in 2018. He has served on committees including Public Education, Juvenile Justice, and Trade, Workforce, and Economic Development. He was the legislature’s youngest member in 2019.
๐ Legislative Work
Talarico was the lead sponsor of 16 bills that became law, including eight related to education or childcare. His passed legislation includes a law capping insulin costs at $25 per month and a law prohibiting certain law enforcement contracts with reality TV shows.
๐ณ๏ธ Political Campaigns & Actions
Talarico won his initial election in 2018. He participated in Democratic quorum breaks in 2021 and 2025. After redistricting, he ran in and won a different House district in 2022. In September 2025, he announced his candidacy for the 2026 U.S. Senate race in Texas.
๐ข Public Statements & Media
Talarico is an outspoken critic of Christian nationalism and legislation to display the Ten Commandments in classrooms. In February 2026, a scheduled interview on *The Late Show with Stephen Colbert* was canceled by CBS, but Colbert later aired it online.
| Category | Detail | Year/Event | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education | Master of Divinity | While in office | Earned from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary |
| Legislation | Insulin Cost Cap | House Bill 82 | Capped insulin at $25/month |
| Election | U.S. Senate Race | Announced Sept. 2025 | Candidate for 2026 election |
| Media | Colbert Interview | Feb. 2026 | Canceled by CBS, later posted online |
๐ James Talarico is a Democratic Texas State Representative first elected in 2018. His legislative work has focused on education and healthcare, and he is now a candidate in the 2026 U.S. Senate race for Texas. His political career has involved notable media events and public advocacy on specific policy and religious issues.
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