AT A GLANCE
- The Texas Democratic U.S. Senate primary between Jasmine Crockett and James Talarico has escalated after allegations involving a racially charged remark.
- Former U.S. Rep. Colin Allred publicly confronted Talarico after an influencer claimed Talarico referred to Allred as a “mediocre Black man.”
- The allegation originated from Texas political influencer Morgan Thompson and quickly went viral.
- Talarico denies the characterization, calling it a misrepresentation of a private conversation, while acknowledging the racial context and impact of his words.
Talarico Came Out In a Statement Saying It Was a “Mischaracterization of a Private Conversation”
The Democratic race for U.S. Senate in Texas has taken a sharp turn as allegations involving race, campaign rhetoric, and political strategy inject new tension into a contest already drawing national attention.
With roughly a month remaining before primary voters head to the polls, the matchup between U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett and Texas State Rep. James Talarico has become increasingly fraught after former Congressman Colin Allred publicly confronted Talarico over an alleged comment that quickly went viral online.
Colin Allred Calls Out James Talarico Over Alleged Remark
In a video posted Monday, Allred, who exited the Senate race after Crockett announced her candidacy in December, said he was informed that Talarico allegedly described him as a “mediocre Black man” during a private conversation with a Black woman. Allred said the remark was framed as a contrast to Crockett, whom Talarico allegedly described as “a formidable, intelligent Black woman.”
“I understand that James Talarico had the temerity and the audacity to say to a Black woman that he had signed up to run against a mediocre Black man,” Allred said in the video. He added that praising Black women should never come at the expense of diminishing Black men. “If you want to compliment Black women, just do it,” he said. “Don’t do it while also tearing down a Black man.”
Allred, who endorsed Crockett in the same video, closed with a pointed warning directed at Talarico: “Don’t come for me unless I send for you. Okay, James, and keep my name out of your mouth while you’re at it.”
Viral Influencer Account Brings Allegation to Light
The allegations stem from a viral account shared by Morgan Thompson, a TikTok creator whose content focuses on Texas politics. In a video posted Sunday, Thompson said the comment occurred during a one-on-one conversation with Talarico that she claims was coordinated by his campaign.
@morga_tt Again, I’m not a part of any “smear campaign”, I just think the responsible thing to do is share this information considering what I’m seeing from his campaign right now. And I have receipts that this conversation occurred if needed.
♬ original sound – Morgan
“James Talarico told me that he signed up to run against a mediocre Black man, not a formidable and intelligent Black woman,” Thompson said.
In a separate post, she shared a photo of herself with Talarico and explained that the meeting followed her concerns about his campaign’s association with longtime Democratic strategist James Carville, who has previously argued that Democrats should move away from what he describes as “woke politics.” That framing has been widely criticized by Black Democrats, who say it alienates Black and Brown voters.
According to Thompson, she agreed to an off-the-record conversation with Talarico at a Jan. 12 town hall because she wanted the exchange to be candid. She said she raised concerns about politicians courting Black voters while embracing messaging that could later marginalize them once elected.
“I told him I’m concerned about you potentially trying to get Black people’s vote in order to get an office, and then subscribing to this thought process that’s going to put us to the side,” Thompson recalled. She said Talarico responded by acknowledging that she did not want him to be a “sellout,” a characterization she agreed with at the time. When he allegedly made the remark about Allred, Thompson said it caught her off guard, though she initially laughed it off.
Once Thompson’s account began circulating widely and reached Allred, the former congressman said he felt compelled to respond. In his remarks, Allred suggested that language like “mediocre” often reflects more about the speaker than the subject. “When you make an accusation, you often have a bit of confession in it,” he said.
Allred also took aim at Talarico’s perceived appeal as a Democratic candidate in a deeply Republican state, dismissing the idea that his background as a theologian offered anything new to the party. “You are not saving religion for the Democratic Party or the left,” Allred said, pointing to Sen. Raphael Warnock as an example. “You’re not saying anything unique. You’re just saying it looking like you do.”
Talarico responded to the allegations by calling Thompson’s account a “mischaracterization of a private conversation.” In a statement released through his Senate campaign and provided to theGrio, he said his comments were intended as a critique of campaign strategy, not a personal or racial attack.
“In my praise of Congresswoman Crockett, I described Congressman Allred’s method of campaigning as mediocre—but his life and service are not,” Talarico said. “I would never attack him on the basis of race.” He added that he understands how his words could be interpreted given the country’s history of racism and emphasized that he respects Allred despite their disagreements. “We’re all on the same team,” he said.
Thompson later addressed skepticism surrounding her account, acknowledging that she did not record the alleged remarks. She said she expected doubts but pushed back against criticism that focused on her credibility rather than the substance of the claim.
“People not believing me does not bother me,” she said in a follow-up TikTok. “I welcome skepticism, because that means people are critically engaging with the information.” She also warned against what she described as racially charged attacks aimed at her personally instead of interrogating the alleged comment itself.
In another post, Thompson pointed to the power imbalance involved in coming forward. “I am one singular Black woman that’s against a campaign that has millions of dollars and is working with major consultants and agencies,” she said. “And you think that doesn’t come with some level of intimidation?”
Black Voter Support Emerges as Key Fault Line Ahead of March 3 Primary
Mid-January polling indicates the Democratic primary remains highly competitive, with Crockett and Talarico essentially tied as the March 3 election approaches.
The data also points to a sharp divide in their bases of support: Talarico’s strongest backing has come from white and Latino voters, while Black Democratic voters have overwhelmingly aligned with Crockett. In the survey, three out of four Black voters said they planned to support her.
As the Texas Democratic primary approaches, the controversy highlights deeper tensions within the party over race, messaging, and coalition-building in a red state. Whether the dispute reshapes voter sentiment or simply hardens existing divisions remains unclear, but the race has unmistakably entered a more volatile phase.
