An old social media post by Texas State Representative James Talarico, the Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate in Texas, has become a subject of political debate after being reshared online.
The post from May 2020 addressed the issue of racism in America and used a comparison to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the content, Talarico wrote that "whiteness" could provide "immunity" to a "virus of racism," but also argued that social systems can contribute to maintaining these issues, similar to other controversial racial remarks in the political arena.
Republicans Criticize
After the post began circulating again, several Republican leaders criticized the message, a common occurrence when representatives spark controversy over past public statements.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott suggested that the remarks could be detrimental to Talarico in the upcoming Senate election.
Other conservative politicians and commentators also argued that the post contained divisive content.
Context of the 2020 Post
The post was written in 2020, a time when the U.S. was simultaneously facing the COVID-19 pandemic and national debates over race following the death of Ahmaud Arbery, a Black man murdered while jogging in Georgia.
Response from the Talarico Campaign
A spokesperson for Talarico’s campaign stated that the criticisms from opponents are a politically motivated move.
According to his campaign, Talarico is focusing on building voter support ahead of the election on November 3, 2026, after receiving the support of Representative Jasmine Crockett for the Senate seat.
Texas Senate Race
Talarico recently won the Texas Senate primary and is expected to face a Republican candidate in the statewide election in November.
On the Republican side, there are currently two candidates entering a runoff primary on May 26, 2026, to determine their representative for the race.
