James Talarico meets with John Cornyn in Washington for 'advice and guidance'

San Antonio Express News ^ | 11/09/2026 | James Osborne

[Responsibility2nd]

Senator-elect James Talarico sat down with U.S. Sen John Cornyn Monday to discuss areas in which the two Texas politicians could work together.

The pair met in Washington following Talarico's victory last week over Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, making him the first Democratic senator from Texas since 1993.

"(Cornyn) has served our state honorably, and I’m grateful for his advice and guidance," Talarico said in a statement. "Now is the time for us to come together — Democrats and Republicans — to deliver for Texas."

Cornyn's office said in a statement the pair had discussed "transition planning and related matters."

Talarico, who will replace Cornyn in Washington, had campaigned on working with Republicans. The morning after his victory he appeared on Fox News to discuss comprehensive immigration reform and lowering housing and energy costs as areas of mutual interest with the Trump administration.

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TOPICS: Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: cornyn; talarico

[Responsibility2nd]

_{Senator elect James Talarico meeting with U.S. Sen. John Cornyn in Washington on Nov. 9, 2026.}

_{John Shinkle/Sen. John Cornyn's office}

[Frank Drebin]

Two sides of the same delightful coin.

[SecondAmendment]

This would have never happened if Paxton won.

[Miami Rebel]

Given the margin of his victory, Talarico probably would’ve beaten Cornyn too, but I don’t think it would’ve been a wipeout that would drag down the down-ballot Republicans too.

[Antoninus]

Two sides of the same delightful coin.

Nope. They are the same side of the coin. Cornball was never a Republican. He just played one in Congress.

Now, at least, we have a known enemy in office.

[RightOnTheBorder]

Abbot was similarly blown out. If anything Cornyn, his bush-ite allies, and the NRSC’s 100 million dollars trying to force that leftist bum down our throat hurt turnout more than Paxton’s baggage.

[Texas Eagle]

"Now is the time for us to come together — Democrats and Republicans — to deliver for Texas."

Oh, really? What stopped you from coming together for Texas up till now?

[Howie66]

Naturally.

[Antoninus]

Talarico probably would’ve beaten Cornyn too, but I don’t think it would’ve been a wipeout that would drag down the down-ballot Republicans too.

You truly are clueless. The margin of victory was due to the Bush-backstabbers throwing their support behind Talafreako. Revealing those traitors for what they have always been was the second best result we could have hoped for.

The worst result would have been a continuation of Cornyn in office. If conservative Republicans ever want to make progress, every last Democrat-in-Republican-garb must be rooted out and defeated.

[Languager]

Cornyn voted with Republicans on legislation and judges 97 percent of the time. Talarico will never vote with Republicans on judges, and probably not on most legislation either.

But now that you have a known enemy in office you feel better off? What kind of fool are you?

[Hattie]

Makes me sick to my stomach.

[Jamestown1630]

I can’t bear to see this freak.

[43north]

Personally I think the entire election in Texas is fraudulent. The commiecrats wanted that big prize and pulled out all the stops to make it happen with sophisticated manipulations of the vote totals. Prove me wrong.

[JeemBeau]

The fraudsters were too busy, or not as motivated, to commut as much fraud on down-ballot positions. That’s how fraud is being analyzed and exposed.

[griswold3]

Talarico would’ve beaten Cornyn too. Out with the old in either the New America

[Capn Hayek]

Much as you might be right - Cornyn probably loses too and maybe Abbott doesn’t survive either way (winning a 4th term is HARD)...

I do have to point out: Those hated “Bush-ites”? They turned Texas from purple to red. I’m not a Texan, but I’m old enough to remember Ann Richards - and it was W that beat her (and then Rick Perry and then Abbott). At the same time, the Texas House delegation went from majority rat to an unbreakable majority GOP.

I think it’s entirely fair to say that much as they were easily keeping Texas red? Maybe they lost sight of the base. Maybe they got fat resting on their laurels. I think that’s fair.

However, I wish people would be more circumspect: those Bushies are the people that turned Texas red. It’s a big state with a lot of conflicting preferences.

My two cents - and again, I’m not a Texan, but just know a lot of them (mostly of the suburban set)?

Maybe we shouldn’t throw the baby out with the bathwater. Maybe the hated “Bush-ites” had the winning recipe to win Texas and we shouldn’t be so quick to assume they were idiots.

[SaveFerris]

YEP

[Coronal]

Texas has some of the most stringent voter ID laws in the country. Abbott and Paxton both boasted about how secure their elections are. So what happened?

[Carl Vehse]

One traitor to another.

[vivenne]

Two traitors conspiring.