TX-SEN: Talarico polling stronger with Texas' Black voters than expected, but enthusiasm questions remain

This scene at last month’s convention reflected a narrative that has followed Talarico ever since he won the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate over Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett: that he could struggle to win votes from Black voters in Texas who overwhelmingly supported Crockett in the primaries.

But recent polling from The Texas Politics Project suggests Talarico may actually be in a stronger position with Black voters than public perception would suggest.

The poll found 67% of Black voters surveyed said they support Talarico — of note considering what those numbers looked like for previous Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate at similar points in their campaigns. In 2024, the group’s polling around this time showed Colin Allred drawing 47% of the state’s Black voters, while Beto O’Rourke had 49% in 2018.

“The main advantage Talarico has with Black voters and with Democratic voters in general is he’s just significantly more well known at this point in the race,” said Joshua Blank, research director for The Texas Politics Project and author of the poll.





https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/politics/election-2026/2026/07/09/556636/james-talarico-black-voter-support/