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14h ago

Resurfaced 2020 Clip Shows Talarico Calling Capitalism ‘Oppressive’ and Has GOP Running Ads

The video has become a fresh line of attack in the tight Texas Senate race because Republican operatives and outside PACs are using it to portray the Democrat as too progressive for statewide voters.

KERRVILLE, TEXAS - AUGUST 31: Democratic U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico speaks during a campaign rally at the Cailloux Theater on August 31, 2026 in Kerrville, Texas. Talarico continues campaigning across the state in a close race against Republican candidate, state Attorney General Ken Paxton ahead of the November 3 general election. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
Democratic US Senate candidate James Talarico speaks during a press conference at the Hyatt Centric Congress Avenue in Austin, Texas, on July 22.
Democratic candidate for US Senate James Talarico speaks during a campaign rally in Pasadena, Texas, on August 9.
An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows Democratic US Senate candidate James Talarico speaking at a campaign rally in Kerrville, Texas, Image 2 shows Screenshots of James Talarico and other participants in a 2020 forum, Image 3 shows Democratic U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico with two supporters and an American flag

Overview

  • Multiple outlets published video from a September 2020 Sierra Club virtual forum on Tuesday that shows James Talarico saying capitalism, white supremacy and climate harms are linked and must be dismantled.
  • In the clip Talarico also predicts Texas’s oil and gas industry ‘is not gonna last,’ a comment opponents are using to question his support for energy jobs.
  • Republican campaigns and outside groups, including Lone Star Liberty PAC, have rolled out TV and social ads using the footage to cast Talarico as out of step with Texas voters.
  • The Talarico campaign responded that some past comments ‘missed the mark,’ called him a ‘proud capitalist,’ and points to his current pledge to back an all‑of‑the‑above energy strategy and oil and gas jobs.
  • The episode builds on earlier scrutiny of Talarico’s progressive climate record and selectively reported financial disclosures, and press coverage of the story has fallen along partisan lines as the race remains narrowly competitive.