As an eighth-generation Texan who has seen too many devastating instances of violence rock his state, a former middle school teacher who has had been directly responsible for keeping students safe in their classrooms, and Presbyterian seminarian looking to build a better, more peaceful future for the next generation, State Representative James Talarico knows that ending America’s gun violence epidemic must be a top priority for all of our elected officials. At the state level, he’s been a champion for lifesaving reforms that would make a real difference for communities across the Lone Star State—and as Texas’s next United States senator, we know he’ll never tire from the fight to save lives.

Throughout his time in Austin, State Representative Talarico has continuously pushed for action in the face of everyday violence and mass shootings that have torn too many Texas families apart, from El Paso to Uvalde and countless communities in between. In the legislature, he’s worked to advocate for commonsense measures like expanding background checks, strengthening safe storage requirements, raising the age for individuals to purchase semiautomatic weapons, and increasing child care providers’ access to active shooter trainings. In DC, he’ll continue to push for progress on these measures nationwide—while also working to ensure law enforcement agencies at the federal, state, and local level have the resources necessary to investigate and prosecute criminals. In the Senate, Representative Talarico will also prioritize securing funding for youth programs and mental health care to prevent crime before it happens, and continue to tackle the scourge of gun trafficking, which has illegally flooded our communities with firearms that have gotten into the hands of too many criminals. Having witnessed the impacts of domestic violence firsthand as a child, Representative Talarico will also be a strong advocate for expanding funding for the Victims of Crime Act and Violence Against Women Act to better support survivors.
 
Like so many in this movement, Representative Talarico knows that when it comes to public safety issues, we’re often too busy talking past each other instead of working together on solutions. If elected, he’ll always work to find common ground on this issue, because he knows the lives and safety of everyday Texans is more important than any political argument. Representative James Talarico is poised to bring people together—just as he did when he first ran for the Texas House in 2018 in a district that was thought to be unwinnable—and finally turn Texas blue. In doing so, he’ll prove that progress is possible once and for all.

We are proud to endorse James Talarico for the US Senate.