Sen.-elect James Talarico (D-Texas) is signaling a willingness to work across the aisle, even with Republican colleagues who waged personal attacks against him during the bruising campaign that ended with his historic victory over state Attorney General Ken Paxton.
Appearing Wednesday on ABC's "The View," Talarico addressed the bitter race and his intentions for governance. Co-host Joy Behar noted the "mean" and "unfair" attacks he endured, asking whether he could still collaborate with those responsible.
"I do," Talarico, 37, replied. "The time for campaigning is over, and the time to lead, the time to serve, is now starting."
During the campaign, Talarico faced a barrage of personal attacks, including being labeled "Low-T" to question his masculinity, and President Trump repeatedly calling him "Talafreako" and falsely claiming he was vegan. Despite this, Talarico emphasized his focus on problem-solving and service.
"This is my favorite part of this process. This is when we actually get to solve problems. This is when we actually get to make people's lives easier and better and less stressful," he said.
"I'm looking forward to working with Republicans — including Republicans who said some mean things about me in this race — because that's my job," Talarico added. "My job is to serve. My job is to make this state as good as its promise. And that means I'll work with anybody and everybody to make that a reality."
Talarico's win is a landmark for Texas Democrats, breaking a decades-long losing streak in Senate races. His victory is part of a broader shift in Texas politics, as seen in other races like the railroad commissioner race flipping to a Democrat and Democrats holding onto competitive House seats despite redistricting efforts.
Political analysts note that Talarico's conciliatory tone stands in contrast to the heated rhetoric of the campaign, and it may signal a pragmatic approach to governing in a state where Republicans still hold significant power. His pledge to work with all sides could ease tensions in Austin, though it remains to be seen how his Republican colleagues will respond.
As Talarico prepares to take office, he emphasized leaving campaign battles behind. "So I'm going to leave what happened in the campaign in the campaign. I'm now ready to get to work for the people of my state."
