(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Texas state Rep. James Talarico may have won the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate against Rep. Jasmine Crockett, but he still has one more fight ahead: his old tweets, which have complicated his recent pitch as a moderate Democrat.
Talarico, recently crowned the victor of the Democratic primary, has drawn widespread condemnation on social media after old posts referencing race and other progressive talking points resurfaced.
In May 2020, Talarico accused all white individuals of benefiting from white privilege and spreading racism, which he described as a virus.
“White skin gives me and every white American immunity from the virus,” he wrote. “But we spread it wherever we go—through our words, our actions, and our systems. We don’t have to be showing symptoms—like a white hood or a Confederate flag—to be contagious.”
The only cure is diagnosing the virus within ourselves and taking dramatic actions to contain the spread. The first small step is proclaiming loudly and unequivocally that #BlackLivesMatter.
— James Talarico (@jamestalarico) May 8, 2020
In another 2021 tweet, Talarico suggested white Americans were susceptible to radicalization.
“As a white man, I’m susceptible to the same radicalization,” he added. “Thankfully, I was exposed to diversity at a young age and explicitly taught the values of equality, inclusion, and justice. But not every young white boy is so lucky.”
Platforms like YouTube, 4chan, and Parlor are radicalizing an entire generation of white boys.
These sites stoke hate for profit. Their algorithms quickly escalate content from funny memes to white nationalist propaganda.
As an educator, I believe our public schools must act.
— James Talarico (@jamestalarico) March 18, 2021
Also in 2021, Talarico boasted that his office was the first in the history of the Texas Legislature to adopt pronouns on official business cards.
“It’s a small way to tell trans Texas: you are welcome here,” he wrote.
The Texas Capitol can be a hostile environment for our trans neighbors.
Our office is the first in the history of the Capitol to add pronouns to our official business cards.
It’s a small way to tell trans Texans: you are welcome here. #TransDayOfVisibility pic.twitter.com/sFLdFbiX88
— James Talarico (@jamestalarico) March 31, 2021
The resurfacing of the tweets comes as Talarico, with help from the media, has tried to present himself as a moderate Democrat.
He defeated Crockett, the controversial member of Congress who will soon find herself unemployed after giving up her House seat to run for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate.
Talarico will now face the Republican nominee, who will be decided in a May runoff between Sen. John Cornyn and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
Headline USA reached out to Talarico’s campaign for comment in an email sent before midnight, but did not immediately receive a response.
