The Congressional Black Caucus on Friday endorsed James Talarico, the Democratic Senate nominee in Texas, following a contentious primary riven by accusations of racism.
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“James Talarico is a true fighter who is committed to advancing the values of the Black community,” Rep. Gregory Meeks, the New York Democrat who chairs the caucus’ political action committee, said in a statement. “Texas’ Black community deserves a leader who will lower costs, stand up to corruption, and advance equity.”
Talarico, who is White, recently stepped up his efforts to reach Black voters, a key Democratic electorate that largely favored his opponent, Rep. Jasmine Crockett, who is Black, in the March primary.
Crockett criticized Talarico for supporting ads that she said were “straight-up racist” against her. Another candidate, Colin Allred, slammed Talarico for allegedly privately referring to him as a “mediocre Black man,” which Talarico denied. Though Crockett endorsed Talarico after the primary, she has since declined to actively campaign for him.
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Public polls show Talarico with strong support among Black voters, but some Democrats remain concerned about whether he can defeat Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton to become the first Democratic senator from Texas in more than three decades.
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