Talarico Gains Advantage In Texas District Race

ROUND ROCK, TX — Emboldened by a robust campaign chest as he pursues the State House District 52 seat, James Talarico is convinced he's part of a growing political movement.

A local education nonprofit leader running as a Democrat for State House District 52 encompassing Williamson County and part of Austin, has out-raised the combined fundraising total of every Republican running for the seat and holds more than a $50,000 cash on hand advantage, he said.

While Republicans in HD-52 reported a combined total of just $53,805.33 on the Jan. 15th TEC filing, Talarico reported $100,295.93 – nearly double Republican earnings. The Republican Primary contenders also reported a combined $20,613.89 cash on hand compared to Talarico’s $71,412.43, giving him a $50,789.54 advantage.

“Williamson County families, and families across Texas, are starting a movement,” Talarico said in a prepared statement. “They are energized and ready to fix our broken political system. We want reason and responsibility back in our politics.”

He noted that TEC had not yet received received the report for Chris Ward, another Republican on the ballot.

Talarico noted the dynamics of the county complement his platform, citing its status as one of the fastest growing counties in the state, diversity, premiums placed on education and opportunity. He noted the Donald Trump won the district vote — but by a mere percentage point.

There is evidence of a backlash against the current brand of rigid conservatism in the Trump era, as evidenced by recent elections. Some political pundits predict Democrats could bode well in the midterm elections as a result.

According to a new analysis, Democrats have solidified their position in the November midterm elections as seen in the latest ABC News/Washington Post poll. Democrats now maintain a 12-point lead among registered voters while improving to a wide 14-point advantage among likely voters in congressional preference.

Among those likely to vote, 54 percent support the Democratic candidate in their congressional district, according to the poll, compared to 40 percent for the Republican. To read more, see PDF for full results, charts and tables.

Recent elections elsewhere in the country support the thesis. Democrats won big in Virginia and New Jersey this past November, winning key elections that included both gubernatorial races in making inroads into communities once heavily favoring Democrats, as the New York Times reported. In deeply conservative Alabama this December, voters elected Democrat Doug Jones over Republican Roy Moore in a special Senate election, despite the latter's endorsement by Trump.

Those elections were seen by observers as rebukes of Trump and his party.

Closer to home, Democrat Hilda Montgomery won a a special election in November to fill a vacant seat on the Round Rock City Council. Her win came against the backdrop of a supposedly all-red district, political pundits noted. (See: Hilda Montgomery Wins Round Rock City Council Special Election, Dec. 16, 2017).

With ample campaign coffers, Talarico appears to be banking on the current momentum.

Talarico is a former public school teacher who currently serves as the local Executive Director of Reasoning Mind, an education nonprofit. A graduate of McNeil High School in Round Rock ISD, he earned his bachelor’s degree in government from The University of Texas at Austin and his master’s degree in education policy from Harvard University.

>>> Photos of James Talarico via campaign website