Talarico’s Senior Adviser, Andrew Mamo, Only Highlights White and Latino Numbers on X, Leaving Out Black Voters — and the HBCU Behind It
A Texas Democratic primary poll conducted by the University of Houston and Texas Southern University, and promoted by State Rep. James Talarico’s campaign, shows U.S. Rep. Colin Allred leading but the way Talarico’s team presented the results has sparked backlash.
Talarico’s senior adviser, Andrew Mamo, posted numbers showing Allred at 46% and Talarico at 42%, with 12% undecided. The campaign pointed to Talarico’s strength with Latino voters and younger Texans.
But the shared graphic excluded Black voters entirely, despite their central role in Democratic primaries. State Rep. Venton Jones called out the omission, saying it was
“Disappointing to see a campaign share selective polling that leaves out Black voters entirely.” He added that Black voters “cannot be an afterthought” and are “the foundation of our party,” noting that the full results show “strong support for Colin Allred.”
It’s disappointing to see a campaign share selective polling that leaves out Black voters entirely. Black voters CANNOT be an afterthought — they’re the foundation of our party.
— State Rep. Venton Jones (@VentonJonesTX) October 9, 2025
Leaving them out of your polling story isn’t just misleading — it’s disrespectful. The full results… https://t.co/wcgXeZ8sOJ pic.twitter.com/9Og3O8a43o
The Poll and What Was Shared
Talarico’s senior adviser, Andrew Mamo, posted a graphic Thursday showing Allred at 46%, Talarico at 42%, and 12% undecided. The campaign touted Talarico’s “strength” with Latino voters and younger Texans.
But what Mamo didn’t mention is that the poll came from the University of Houston and Texas Southern University, the latter being one of Texas’ most prominent Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
Despite that, the Talarico team’s version of the poll omitted any reference to TSU’s involvement and excluded Black voter data entirely, even though TSU’s participation in the survey was intended to ensure robust representation of Black Texans in the sample.
Without that data, the campaign’s post not only stripped away the nuance of the poll but effectively erased the very institution that helped produce it and the community it represents.
What the Talarico Poll Claimed
The circulated numbers included:
• Overall: Allred 46%, Talarico 42%, Unsure 12%
• By Gender: Men favor Allred (50–38), while women lean slightly toward Talarico (45–43).
• By Ethnicity: White voters favor Talarico (49–42). Latino voters lean his way as well (42–38), with 20% undecided.
The full University of Houston/TSU poll shows Allred maintaining a clear lead overall, with strong support among Black voters. By cutting those numbers out, the Talarico team has shifted attention away from his performance and toward his campaign’s credibility.
