Texas state Rep. James Talarico (D) has just raked in a staggering sum for his Senate campaign that could make even the most frugal conservative blink twice.
Talarico pulled in nearly $7 million during the last quarter of 2024, bringing his total haul to over $13 million since he threw his hat in the ring in September of that year, the Hill reported.
For hardworking Texas taxpayers, this kind of money in politics raises eyebrows about where campaigns are headed, especially when every dollar could mean higher compliance costs down the line for small businesses caught in the crossfire of new policies. Many of these folks are already stretched thin, wondering if such massive war chests will translate into agendas that burden their bottom line. Let’s not kid ourselves—every campaign dollar needs scrutiny, no matter who’s collecting.
Breaking it down, Talarico’s campaign reported a precise $6.8 million between October and December 2024, fueled by over 215,000 individual donors. That’s a lot of folks opening their checkbooks, and from all 50 states no less.
Even more telling, contributions poured in from 240 of Texas’s 254 counties, showing a broad base that can’t be ignored. And get this—98 percent of donations since his launch were small-dollar, capped at $100, with no corporate PAC money in sight. Sounds noble, but let’s see if the policies match the grassroots rhetoric.
“With the help of more than 215,000 neighbors, we are building a campaign to win the primary, win the general, and deliver for working people across Texas,” Talarico said in a statement. Nice words, but conservatives might ask: delivering what, exactly? More progressive mandates that working families can’t afford?
Talarico isn’t alone in this fight—he’s up against Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) for the Democratic nomination to challenge Sen. John Cornyn’s (R-Texas) seat. Crockett entered the race later, in December 2024, which gave her less time to stack up cash in the same period.
While Crockett hasn’t released her fundraising figures for the fourth quarter, candidates have until the end of January 2025 to file those numbers. That delay leaves room for speculation, but one thing is clear: this Democratic primary is shaping up to be a slugfest.
Polling from the Barbara Jordan Public Policy Research and Survey Center at Texas Southern University, dropped in December 2024, shows Crockett ahead of Talarico, 51 percent to 43 percent. That’s a tight race, and with these fundraising numbers, Talarico might just close the gap—or widen it with the right spin.
On the other side of the aisle, Sen. John Cornyn isn’t getting a free pass, facing primary challenges from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Rep. Wesley Hunt (R-Texas). It’s a crowded field, and conservatives are watching closely to see who will carry the banner against a well-funded Democrat.
A Decision Desk HQ average of Texas Senate GOP primary polls puts Paxton at 35 percent, Cornyn at 32 percent, and Hunt at 20 percent. With no one above 50 percent, a runoff looks likely, keeping the drama alive on the right.
For many Republican voters, this split raises questions about party unity against a Democratic opponent flush with cash like Talarico. Will infighting hand the left an advantage? That’s a risk no conservative wants to take.
Talarico’s haul signals a new era of mega-fundraising in Texas politics, where even state-level races can pull in national dollars. It’s a wake-up call for those who value limited government—big money often means big promises, and not always the kind that shrink bureaucracy.
While his campaign brags about small donors and no corporate influence, conservatives might wonder if this grassroots facade hides a progressive agenda that could hit Texas families with unexpected costs. After all, campaigns this flush rarely push for less government interference.
As the primaries loom, both sides of the Texas Senate race are gearing up for a fight that could reshape the state’s political landscape. For now, Talarico’s $13 million war chest is a loud reminder that in politics, money talks—and it’s up to voters to decide what it’s saying.
