James Talarico responds to allegations he called fellow Dem 'mediocre Black man'

Yahoo News / ABC News ^ | 2/3/2026 | Emily Chang and Diana Paulsen

[Republican Wildcat]

With just one month until the high-stakes primary election in the Texas U.S. Senate race, Democrats are butting heads, with Democratic State Rep. James Talarico pushing back on allegations that he made controversial remarks about the race of his former opponent.

Talarico on Monday responded to a video from former Rep. Colin Allred, who is running for Texas' 33rd Congressional District, claiming that Talarico made comments critical of Allred on the basis of race.

On Sunday, a TikTok creator alleged that Talarico, in a private conversation, said that Allred was a "mediocre Black man" and that he would would rather run against Allred than Rep. Jasmine Crockett, whom he allegedly called a "formidable and intelligent Black woman." The TikTok creator, who had previously supported Talarico, posted that the conversation happened after a town hall in Plano, Texas, in January.

Talarico's campaign told ABC News that the individual was never a member of the campaign team. Talarico has not denied the conversation took place, but has said it was taken out of context.

---

TOPICS: News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: democrats; demprimary; election2026; jamestalarico; racism; talarico; ussenate

[Republican Wildcat]

"In my praise of Congresswoman Crockett, I described Congressman Allred’s method of campaigning as mediocre -- but his life and service are not. I would never attack him on the basis of race," Talarico said in a statement posted to X by his spokesperson.

Hmm...a campaign can be mediocre, but a campaign / campaign strategy does not have an ethnicity or race. I'm not seeing an "out of context" defense here...I'm not seeing anywhere that he is denying he said those words.

Anyway...may these Dem candidates destroy each other in this primary.

[Az Joe]

Phony Christian as a three dollar bill this one

[Bernard]

said that Allred was a "mediocre Black man"

When he said that, did he capitalize the B, or make it sound like a small b?

[gildafarrell]

Let the demoncRATS eat each other.