James Talaricos’ Primary Win Has Shown a Path for Red State Democrats to Win Statewide Elections

By: Callum Reddy

On March 3rd James Talarico won the 2026 Democratic Primary race for the US Senate in Texas. Talarico, a member of the Texas House of Representatives, beat Jasmine Crockett, a member of the US House of Representatives, 52% to 46%. Both Talarico and Crockett preached economic populism, though they targeted different demographics with their messaging, making the difference in the Texas race.

Economic populism is an economic strategy that focuses on reducing wealth inequality. In the modern United States, progressive Democrats like Talarico, Crockett and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani have focused on policies like increasing taxes on Billionaires and other rich people, increasing minimum wages, and increasing government spending on social services, ranging from public schools, public transportation and expanding Medicaid. This message resonates with voters, as the United States currently has a K-shaped economy, with a lot of wealth concentrated in the upper class, a struggling lower class, and a small middle class. Reaching working class voters, who have been squeezed by the high economic inequality in the US, is especially important for the Democratic party, who feel that the Democrats have not done enough to help their economic issues over the last decade. 

While economic populism’s ultimate test in Texas will be in the general election in November, Zohran Mamdani already proved the strategy’s potential for democrats last November. Mamdani was a relative nobody in the race a year out from the election, but he was able to beat former New York Governor Independent Andrew Cuomo. For voters whose largest concern was cost of living, 55% of total voters, Mamdani’s economic populist strategy won 66% of the vote, per CNN exit polls. He also dominated among people with an income less than $200,000 and who did not feel as if their economic situation was improving. 

While Mamdani already proved the viability of Economic Populism in a general election, Talarico has found a new way to package the economic strategy, one that has major potential to work in Texas. Talarico has used religion to advertise his economic policies, arguing that common religious messages about loving everyone support an economic policy that benefits every person, not just a wealthy few. While Crockett’s message performed well in her core urban base, it struggled to reach out and win votes in the suburbs and rural areas of Texas. Talarico’s unique use of religion in his economic messaging allowed him to perform well in suburbs and rural areas. This is especially important for the general election, as two thirds of Texas voters live in suburban or rural areas, who historically have voted Republican. For Talarico to have an upset win in November, he will need to win a large portion of these voters, the traditional republican base in Texas, but unlike Crockett, he has shown the ability to do that. Building off of the success of Mamdani, Talarico has shown how Democrats nationwide can use economic populism and tweak their messaging to fit local demographics, and pick up results in red states.