The Texas Democratic primary race for US Senate heated up Friday when Colin Allred criticized James Talarico‘s management of campaign contributions during his speech at the Texas Tribune Festival in downtown Austin. This marked the first noticeable clash between the two front-runners, who had steered clear of direct attacks until now.
Talarico’s Defense of Adelson-Linked Contributions Draws Fresh Scrutiny From Allred
Allred claimed Talarico‘s stance as someone who criticizes wealthy donors clashed with his willingness to take money linked to billionaire Miriam Adelson. He hinted that voters might spot a mismatch between Talarico’s words and his fundraising past and the big support he got in 2024 from Texas Sands PAC, a group that pushes for gambling and gets its money from Adelson. Money records show this group has dumped millions into Texas politics in recent years. Talarico has also gotten help from H-E-B boss Charles Butt, who has backed hopefuls from both sides who oppose school vouchers.
Talarico defended his past donations by saying he backed the causes these groups supported, such as funding public schools, legalizing gambling, and opposing private school voucher plans. He stuck to his promise to turn down corporate PAC money, but said he would not limit himself further. He argued that Democrats would be at a disadvantage if he restricted himself too much. He also highlighted his work to strengthen campaign finance laws through bills that would limit contributions.
Unity Message Takes Center Stage as Talarico Downplays Rift
At an earlier festival talk, Talarico centered his Senate run on cutting down the power of big money in politics. He said he thinks voters across Texas are tired of the divisions that powerful groups stir up. He described his campaign as a way to bring people together and fight against people losing faith in politics.
Talarico chose not to address Allred’s criticisms head-on Friday, sticking to his campaign’s plan to maintain a positive approach. Allred, on the other hand, hinted that Democrats would need a candidate who had proven tough in major statewide races, pointing to his 2024 defeat by Sen. Ted Cruz as training for the upcoming general election battle.
Both candidates also criticized Senate Democrats who sided with Republicans to end the long-running federal government shutdown without getting an extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies. They claimed that the deal showed deeper rifts within the party about how hard Democrats should push in negotiations.
Even with their differences Allred and Talarico agreed on several policy stances. They both support bringing back a speaking filibuster, legalizing marijuana, and oppose forced buybacks of assault-style rifles and making illegal border crossings legal. They also brushed off Republican efforts to connect Texas Democrats with New York’s incoming mayor Zohran Mamdani. Talarico emphasized that his campaign focuses on Texas issues.