Texas Senate candidate James Talarico is now endorsing reparations for slavery to black people as the Democrat continues to face allegations of racism. Claiming Texas still suffers from the "reverberations of slavery," Talarico threw his support behind reparations for black people during a town hall event, saying he would enact tuition relief, homeownership, and baby bonds for black people to help build generational wealth.
The move comes at a fraught time for the Texas Democrat as recent polling shows he's struggling to shore up support from the black community. This is partly due to his past comments, including an alleged remark about former congressman Colin Allred, which some have perceived as racist. Talarico denied making the remark, calling it a "mischaracterization of a private conversation."
Reparations and the Road to November
Talarico's remarks mark a significant leftward shift in his messaging from his primary campaign, when he declined to comment on reparations. His opponent in the primary, Jasmine Crockett, had supported reparations and later accused Talarico of racism, saying "it was racist. It was a racist race." A New York Times/Siena poll in June found that 12 percent of black Texas voters hold a "very unfavorable view" of Talarico.
Talarico's ongoing struggle to court black voters marks a significant political vulnerability for the Texas Democrat, and could haunt him in November. Political experts say a Democrat will have a hard time winning a statewide race in Texas without strong support from black voters. With the election just months away, Talarico will need to convince black voters that he is committed to addressing the issues that matter most to them, including reparations and racial justice.