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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsTalarico has a major Black voter problem in Texas, at least if Tik Tok is any indication
During the past several days, I have seen dozens and dozens of videos on Tik Tok from Black creators in Texas who voted for Crockett but are now refusing to vote for Talarico in the November election. They don't plan on voting Republican. Instead, they say they are planning not to vote in his race or vote third party/write-in.
They are angry at Talarico and his allegedly racist voters in the state. Some even expect Talarico to switch parties if he wins the general election. Crockett extending her support to Talarico after his primary victory has not swayed these voters. It's very reminiscent of Bernie's voters refusing to support Hillary in 2016.
I don't know what the solutions are. I just know this is a major problem he needs to address and resolve, if it is even possible.
RandySF
(83,587 posts)But social media doesnt reflect the electorate at large.
SunSeeker
(58,221 posts)Deminpenn
(17,449 posts)sop
(18,414 posts)Is that like the guy who holds up the "Blacks For Trump" sign behind the podium at every MAGA Bund rally?
msongs
(73,627 posts)LonePirate
(14,366 posts)SSJVegeta
(2,783 posts)Last edited Sun Mar 15, 2026, 10:31 AM - Edit history (1)
People shouldn't get their news from tik tok
LonePirate
(14,366 posts)People can directly speak to the camera for several minutes to explain themselves and give voice to their thoughts with more detail than the single sentence or two found on X/Threads/Bluesky or the occasional paragraph on Facebook.
Blue Full Moon
(3,407 posts)The shenanigans Paxton pulled. He wanted Crockett to go off on Telerico and give them fodder to use and divide the vote. If they sit out or vote republican the tech bros have made it clear that they are setting up neo feudalism and they are the kings and women and minorities are to be put at a disadvantage. Disrupt our society and government.
TexasBushwhacker
(21,191 posts)muriel_volestrangler
(106,087 posts)It's been around for centuries, and has been much used in computer programming for decades. But, and I can see from your posts that this will come as a shock to you, it has been talked about rather a lot outside computing circles for a few years now, to describe how large websites, especially social media, feed suggestions for what you could read or watch not on an impartial "what is the most common thing on this platform?" basis, but on what gets most profit for the owners.
I know, I can see you're stunned that your idea that TikTok "gives more insight than other social media platforms" might be based on a naive supposition that what you're watching there is "detailed thoughts", rather than clickbait designed either for immediate profit, or to benefit the political feelings of its billionaire owners who just paid Trump a few billion to get to control it.
SocialDemocrat61
(7,507 posts)if they want to win an election.
SSJVegeta
(2,783 posts)Make toxic and intentionally addictive predatory social media algorithms that sow distrust in our friends and family, hatred -and belief in vast levels of misinformation, illegal.
SocialDemocrat61
(7,507 posts)do everything possible but that also includes not ignoring potential problems and reaching out to every group, including those who voted for their opponent in the primary. To just assume it's a "predatory social media algorithm" is a recipe for failure.
SSJVegeta
(2,783 posts)We feed the monster by fueling it with our time, personal data - and ultimately giving them billions of dollars to lie to America and get people killed.
Nobody is "simply blaming" anything. It is pointing out a systemic problem that most of us are a part of creating.
Simply removing yourself from most or all social media, would be a large part of removing the problem.
SocialDemocrat61
(7,507 posts)to their former opponents supporter to get their votes.
Just blaming social media platforms is fine but not the only thing that wins elections.
enough
(13,746 posts)SSJVegeta
(2,783 posts)BannonsLiver
(20,506 posts)Concern trolling is annoying especially when its the result of falling for right wing bot networks on a now rabidly right wing social media platform controlled by right wingers.
pinkstarburst
(2,006 posts)Everyone should also move past the primary and move on and vote for the candidate.
I voted for Hillary in 2008 because I had long been a Hillary fan and I knew very little about Obama. Obama advanced. I voted for him. He was a great president!
I voted for Elizabeth Warren in 2020. Biden and Harris were not even in my top 5 out of all the primary candidates. I sure didn't sit there having sour grapes. Elizabeth Warren would have been appalled at the idea of me writing in her name on my ballot instead of voting for Biden/Harris. I moved on and voted for our ticket. They did great things during their 4 years!
And I voted for Harris/Walz in 2024. Another great ticket even though Harris wasn't in my top 5 and Walz I knew nothing about before she picked him. You don't always get exactly who you want from the primary. That's how it goes. If we have sour grapes and get stuck in a funk and refuse to move on, we hand our future to the republicans. That's no way to live.
Tiktok is great for cat videos, book recommendations, watching figure skating, and other fun mindless scrolling. Do not get your news there.
Keepthesoulalive
(2,262 posts)Our lives depend on it. TikTok is strange place and many of the negative influencers live there. We will vote right as we have always done. Many black people are angry but we are not stupid.
LonePirate
(14,366 posts)yardwork
(69,272 posts)Black voters don't fall for tricks.
Intractable
(1,986 posts)Bernie attracted a lot of Republicans. They thought he was the only "honest" politician in the race. If I recall correctly, Joe Rogan said it to be so. Rogan had outsized sway over his millions of followers.
When Bernie lost to Hillary, these voters returned to the Republican party.
Bernie also was a hero of the left, the far left (me), the very far left, and way out there left. Many in the latter divisions swore they'd never vote for Hillary even before Bernie emerged. In their minds, Hillary represented big money, not the people.
Bernie had little sway over these voters after his primary loss.
Skittles
(171,331 posts)keep telling yourself that
Intractable
(1,986 posts)Clarify. Spell out what you are saying so we can all see it for what it is.
Cha
(318,669 posts)saying.. and so do 5 other DUers.
It's Tragic That there were so many Lies about Hillary.. Jill Stein and Sarandon told them in the Swing States.. that Traitor and Hillary were the same. Sarandon said she would be worse. It's Why the Country got Fascism in the WH and spread through out the country.
Now it's Nazis
JI7
(93,523 posts)their lack of support for him after 2016 was over shows this.
Intractable
(1,986 posts)Oh, I feel so used by the Republicans.
Too bad Hillary didn't have broader appeal, eh?
To me, she was the obvious choice against Trump, but was not what the swing state voters wanted.
betsuni
(29,015 posts)Swing state voters who said the economy was their most important concern voted for Hillary by 11 points. Average income of Trump voters in the primary was $72,000. Under $55,000 voted for Hillary by 12 points in the general.
Working class who cared about the economy voted for Hillary. Republicans and others gullible enough to believe propaganda from all sides both domestic and foreign voted or didn't vote because of lies, culture wars, character assassination and slander (such as accusing Hillary of rigging elections and being corrupt establishment controlled by Wall Street and other BS).
Intractable
(1,986 posts)Wasn't what I wanted either, but I voted for her.
betsuni
(29,015 posts)Because they knew her, weren't fooled by cheap slanderous character attacks that turned her into a cartoonish corrupt "establishment" corporate shill (when accusers asked to give evidence of corruption, silence) and all that BS Democrats STILL have to deal with (that helps Republicans).
JI7
(93,523 posts)whose "supporters" like Rogan went away after the 2016 elections.
Intractable
(1,986 posts)What's your point?
JI7
(93,523 posts)Intractable
(1,986 posts)There were many Republicans out there who were fed up with their own party.
As for myself, I voted for Hillary, rather unenthusiastically, against Trump.
She was my Senator from NY. I voted for her there with enthusiasm because I thought she'd be a progressive and a fighter.
And when she voted for the Iraq war -- fooled like so many of them by Bush -- I said to myself I'd never vote for her again unless I had to.
Well, I had to in 2016. Against Trump, it was a easy decision.
But I watched as other Bernie supporters went back to where they came from, to the Republicans and to the Greens, the latter of which just wasted their votes on the highly detrimental Jill Stein.
JI7
(93,523 posts)Intractable
(1,986 posts)I will provide no further explanations.
Have a nice day!
JI7
(93,523 posts)to support Hillary becsuse they have a problem with wealthy , corporations or some shit.
Rogan and others like him are just shit people.
Response to JI7 (Reply #60)
Post removed
JI7
(93,523 posts)betsuni
(29,015 posts)In 2016, Sanders won 73 out of 83 Michigan counties. In 2020 Biden won all 83. No evidence of Republican support more than other Democratic nominees.
JI7
(93,523 posts)the only time I see Rogan types support him is when they want to attack Democrats.
They aren't talking about taxing the wealthy or going after the wealthy in any way.
And we saw how they support Elon Musk.
All of this clearly shows what their agenda was.
Cha
(318,669 posts)For the SCOTUS.
betsuni
(29,015 posts)It took a lot of work to convince people that she was "untrustworthy." It was all BS.
And now of course everybody says Hillary was right.
no_hypocrisy
(54,821 posts)Paxton or Cornyn as their senator, correct? Or IOW, mini-Trump calling their shots . . . .
Keepthesoulalive
(2,262 posts)We have been voting against them in perpetuity. We are not the problem , we vote right . The dominant culture should join us.
Jedi Guy
(3,465 posts)To me it sounds much more like a case of sour grapes. I don't live in Texas and as such didn't pay much attention at all to the race in question. All the same, I cannot imagine that Talarico ran a racist campaign, not after the things I've read about him.
These folks need to grow up. Their preferred candidate didn't win the primary. That's how it goes in a democracy. Sitting out the vote or voting third party is idiotic and only helps the GOP. It's legit cutting off one's nose to spite one's face.
And a very cynical part of me feels like the allegations of racism against Talarico are projection from people who don't want to vote for him because he's white. And that's incredibly shitty.
SocialDemocrat61
(7,507 posts)Talarico needs to do more outreach to black voters.
Quiet Em
(2,876 posts)I completely understand if Im not Black Texans first choice in this race, Talarico told POLITICO ahead of the primaries. But I would love to be their close second choice. And if I dont get it in this race, I hope to have it in the general election.
https://americancommunitymedia.org/politics/what-black-women-voters-want-from-james-talarico-after-the-texas-democratic-primary/
LeftInTX
(34,180 posts)It wasn't Talarico himself, but some influencers.
I got annoying videos from some sort of young progressive groups
Other groups were saying :We need a white Christian male. He's electable." "They will tear Jasmine to shreds because she's black"
Well with Jasmine, what you see is what you get.
Now the GOP is "swiftboating" Talarico's Christianity. I knew this would happen.
I don't think the arguments against Jasmine were viable. Yes, they would have bashed her, but with Talarico it's a more complicated bashing. It's a swiftboating of his Christianity. I knew this would happen. You're really can't compete against fundies. It's like Rambo versus a dignified officer.
karynnj
(60,922 posts)in addition to trying to speak to any faction that might listen.
In every state, African Americans vote overwhelmingly for the Democrats and it is very likely he will get a large proportion of that vote. However, as important is to make sure that core part of the base is enthusiastic enough to vote in large numbers.
As the candidate, finding how to do that by speaking to them on issues they care about and p noerhaps campaigning with people who are loved in that community including Crockett. It would be great if black members of the state Senate who know him can vouch for him.
The Paxton nonsense on election day seemed mainly to mess up the narrative if either candidate narrowly won. Only Dallas and Austin seemed to have the problem with a change in how to vote. As it was if you look at the Dallas County official site, Crockett only won the day of voting by around 10,000. Given his margin of victory even if half the people who wanted to vote on election day but couldn't, if their voting pattern was similar to the people who did vote, he would still have won by a large margin.
The fact that this voter suppression is highly unlikely to have changed the vote, it is still a major problem that is undemocratic. Voting should be easy for all registered voters.
OrlandoDem2
(3,234 posts)SunSeeker
(58,221 posts)That's not Talarico's fault. He doesn't have a racist bone in his body. But he actually has a chance to win Texas. And that's why many nonracist voters chose Talarico over Crockett.
It's the same reason South Carolina's James Clyburn endorsed Joe Biden in the Democratic primary in 2020 over Deval Patrick.
QueerDuck
(1,601 posts)MorbidButterflyTat
(4,435 posts)As soon as it was called for Talarico.
QueerDuck
(1,601 posts)... make whine 🍷 ... some folks never learn.
Quiet Em
(2,876 posts)I wouldn't be expecting Black women in Texas to put up lawn signs, phone bank or knock on doors, but they will vote. That's what I've heard from Black women in Texas.
SocialDemocrat61
(7,507 posts)Black women are reliable democratic voters. They will vote for him but nothing else.
themaguffin
(5,156 posts)Vinca
(53,848 posts)2 choices because we are a 2-party system. Independents occasionally win, but not often. If they sit out because they're in a snit their candidate didn't win the primary, they are allowing a Republican - who will definitely cause them harm in some way - to win the seat. This drives me nuts. This is why we have Trump.
The Wizard
(13,705 posts)for the perfect candidate, expect to be permanently out of power. The anti Talacaro movement on Tic tok could very well be Internet trolls paid by the GQP/ Russia to skew the vote.
NameAlreadyTaken
(2,295 posts)I knew something was coming soon. They got around their ouija board and conjured up the ghost of Lee Atwater. What to do... what to do?
JBTaurus83
(1,255 posts)Its used to divide Democrats against eachother.
JI7
(93,523 posts)pinkstarburst
(2,006 posts)to republicans in office for the rest of eternity.
Republican voters don't play these immature games. They show up for their candidates, reliably, every single time. They may have their preferences in the primaries, but when it comes time for the general election, they show up and they vote for their guy.
If so called democrats decide that we will only vote for a candidate who shares our race and sex, where does that leave us? Losing every election, that's where.
This is just sour grapes and people need to grow up. Only one person can win the primary. That's how it goes. If Hispanic voters sit out every time there isn't a Hispanic man on the ticket, and white women sit out every time there isn't a white woman on the ticket, and now southeast Asian women are threatening to sit out because they didn't get represented on the ticket... we lose every time.
SocialDemocrat61
(7,507 posts)to win over Crockett voters by showing he doesnt take them for granted.
Response to LonePirate (Original post)
BannonsLiver This message was self-deleted by its author.
kacekwl
(9,107 posts)your hurt feelings. History will tell you if you really care.
Initech
(108,569 posts)This is 100% a gaslighting operation. Do not fall for it!
Boo1
(320 posts)you sought out such content and now the algorithm is feeding you. You watch it and the algorithm thinks that it needs to supply even more. It's called a feedback loop.
Scrivener7
(59,352 posts)pinkstarburst
(2,006 posts)in your personal feed because you watch it all the time. Tiktok feeds you more of what you watch. So if you are watching this sort of angry (probably bot/russian troll supported) content and getting more wound up, Tiktok, which is now a right wing controlled site after it was recently purchased, will keep feeding you more of it.
My advice is to watch more cute dog and cat videos.
cpamomfromtexas
(1,487 posts)Keep the BIG PICTURE GOING.
mr715
(3,447 posts)If Talarico is in fact having a black voter problem, social media isn't the best source.
He won the primary, we'll see what the general proves.
B.See
(8,327 posts)she asked him outright about reach out to Crockett, her voters and her support, and he said he did and would be honoured if she campaigned with him.
As I wrote before, my preference would've been Jasmine, but the nominee now is Talarico.
So if people wanna get all pissy, like some did over Bernie, and like those pro-Palestinian protestors that we haven't heard squat from since November, then go ahead, f-around, and settle for living under a maga fascist regime hell bent on kicking our asses every chance they get.
SocialDemocrat61
(7,507 posts)protesting Harris on her book tour. Oddly, they are not protesting Trump.