James Talarico on immigration, his faith, and how Democrats are getting it wrong

Sep 26, 2025

James Talarico, a former Texas state representative and rising U.S. Senate candidate, discusses his faith-driven approach to politics. He critiques Democrats for failing to represent many in Texas and emphasizes the need to reform democracy rather than simply defend it. Talarico also highlights the significance of humor and nuance in political discourse while advocating for better immigration policies. Joining him is Megan Messerly, a Politico reporter, who analyzes free speech controversies and the limits of press freedom, stirring a lively debate on media access.

Ask episode

AI Snips

Chapters

Transcript

Episode notes

INSIGHT

Hope Plus Aggression Wins

Voters crave hope and tangible change over fear-driven politics.
Talarico argues Democrats should combine optimism with aggressive action to win back trust.

INSIGHT

Counter Without Becoming The Bully

Fighting back is necessary but shouldn't mimic the bully's tactics.
Use decisive, forceful responses that preserve democratic norms while countering abuse.

INSIGHT

Transform, Don't Just Defend Institutions

Defending institutions alone won't persuade people harmed by the system.
Talarico calls for transforming broken institutions to deliver real material benefits.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Get the app

James Talarico is a Texas state representative who’s recently announced his candidacy for US Senate. He’s a Democrat, but not afraid to criticize some aspects of his party.

“National Democrats have talked about defending democracy or protecting institutions,” he said. “But, this democracy of ours doesn't work for a lot of people in this country. It doesn't work for a lot of people in Texas…. This is a deeply broken political system. And I'm not interested in defending it.”

Talarico joined POLITICO’s Dasha Burns this week for an episode of The Conversation, in a wide-ranging conversation about his candidacy, his faith and what Democrats can learn from Beyoncé.

Talarico caught national attention when he flipped a state House district outside Austin in 2018, and has grown in prominence on social media, where he boasts millions of followers on TikTok and Instagram. The former school teacher who’s studying to be a pastor is joining a crowded race to try to turn a Senate seat blue in Texas.

His faith has been one of the central aspects of his campaign. “My faith is why I went into public service. My granddad was a Baptist preacher in South Texas [and he] told me that Jesus gave us these two commandments to love God and love neighbor, which means that your faith is inherently public, right?,” he said. “That means that your faith should impact how you treat people out in the world. And really politics is just another word for how we treat our neighbors at the most fundamental level.”

When it comes to immigration, a Texas issue in the national spotlight, Talarico offered a metaphor to explain his approach. “People have a desire for a sane immigration system, a secure border that can ensure public safety and can ensure that the people coming here are coming to contribute to our communities and not threaten our communities,” he said. “We should treat our southern border like our front porch. We should have a giant welcome mat out front, and we should have the lock on the door.”

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices