Talarico looks for momentum with Black voters at Dem convention

Key Points:

• Texas Democratic U.S. Senate nominee James Talarico acknowledged the Democratic Party's history of taking Black voters for granted and committed to actively engaging and fighting for Black Texans' votes ahead of the November election.
• Despite endorsements from prominent Black Democrats like U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, who lost to Talarico in the primary, there remains skepticism and concern within the Black community about whether Talarico and the statewide ticket have sufficiently mobilized and earned their trust.
• Black elected officials and activists at the Texas Democratic Party convention expressed that the party has not done enough to engage Black voters, with some fearing voter apathy or disenfranchisement could hurt turnout in the midterms.
• Talarico has made outreach efforts including visits to Black churches and historically Black universities, but attendance and enthusiasm indicate he has yet to become a strong, recognizable figure among many Black voters in Texas.
• Polling shows about two-thirds of Black voters currently support Talarico, but Democrats emphasize the need to earn this support through sustained engagement rather than assuming it, especially given the absence of Black statewide candidates on the ballot this cycle.