In a campaign already awash with money and personality, Texas State Rep. James Talarico is betting big on football’s biggest day. The Democratic Senate hopeful is shelling out six figures for a Super Bowl commercial in the Houston market, targeting billionaire influence in politics as he battles for his party’s nomination against U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett.
“Billionaires don’t just influence politicians, they own them,” Talarico declares in the ad, which will air just once during the game, according to campaign officials.
Name Recognition Battle
The splashy Super Bowl move comes as Talarico holds a surprising lead in recent polling. An Emerson College survey shows him ahead of Crockett 47% to 38%, with particularly strong support among Hispanic voters (59%) and white voters (57%), while Crockett maintains overwhelming support (80%) among Black voters, polls indicate.
Crockett, for her part, dismisses the ad buy as a desperate attempt to boost Talarico’s profile. “We do have very high name ID, as well as branding, and he’s attempting to introduce himself to Texans because, while he’s been elected for a longer amount of time, he’s not been at the forefront of these fights and Texans don’t know who he is,” she said during a recent debate.
But Talarico’s campaign isn’t just relying on one flashy commercial. He’s spent a whopping $6.6 million on advertising, including Spanish-language TV spots across major markets and events in the Rio Grande Valley aimed at solidifying his Latino support, reports show.
Money Matters
The financial picture tells its own story. Talarico has raised an impressive $13.1 million since launching his Senate bid and still has $7.1 million cash on hand after spending $6 million through the end of 2023, filings reveal.
Yet for a candidate whose Super Bowl ad takes aim at billionaire influence, Talarico has faced questions about his own fundraising choices. He’s defended accepting donations from Miriam Adelson’s Texas Sands PAC while generally opposing corporate PAC money.
“I don’t know Miriam Adelson — sounds like she and I disagree on almost every issue, but we do agree on legalizing gambling in Texas,” Talarico explained when pressed on the apparent contradiction.
Policy Positions
On healthcare, Talarico has staked out progressive territory with his “Medicare for Y’all” proposal. “Universal health care is a human right,” he stated in a candidate questionnaire, outlining a plan that would allow all Americans to join Medicare while adding dental and vision coverage.
Immigration has proven more controversial. Talarico has called for a complete overhaul of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), describing it as a “secret police force” that needs to be dismantled and replaced.
“It’s time to tear down this secret police force and replace it with an agency that is actually going to focus on public safety,” he told reporters last month, while emphasizing he still supports border security measures.
Where does he stand on Senate rules? Talarico backs eliminating the current filibuster while retaining a talking version. “It is stopping our country from fulfilling the will of the people to make progress on voting rights, worker rights, and so many more reforms that the American people overwhelmingly support,” he wrote in response to questions about Senate procedure.
Campaign Controversy
The March 3rd primary race hasn’t been without its stumbles. Talarico recently found himself in hot water over comments that some interpreted as racially charged.
Did he call fellow Democrat Colin Allred a “mediocre Black man”? Talarico insists he did not, clarifying that he was describing Allred’s campaigning approach as mediocre while praising Crockett.
“In my praise of Congresswoman Crockett, I described Congressman Allred’s method of campaigning as mediocre – but his life and service are not. I would never attack him on the basis of race,” Talarico clarified after the controversy erupted.
With just weeks until primary voters head to the polls, the Super Bowl ad represents Talarico’s biggest gamble yet – a high-stakes play to stand out in a race where both candidates are fighting to face what will likely be an uphill battle against the Republican nominee in November.
