James Talarico offers to help Trump fulfill MAGA promises despite past criticism of president
WASHINGTON, DC: Even if Ken Paxton falls short in the Texas Senate race, President Donald Trump's MAGA vision in the state could find an unexpected path forward through his Democratic rival, James Talarico.
The 37-year-old Democratic Senate nominee recently proposed bipartisan cooperation with Trump, claiming the two could work together to fulfill the promise of the Make America Great Again movement.
Talarico's proposal came amid a surge in his polling numbers.
A New York Times/Siena poll released on Sunday, November 1, showed him leading Paxton 50% to 43%, marking the widest lead recorded by a national polling source since his campaign launched in September 2025.
Talarico's rising poll numbers have seemingly put him squarely in Trump's crosshairs.
The president has repeatedly targeted the Democrat, even branding him “Talafreako” in a series of attacks.
James Talarico offers to work with Trump on key issues
Just hours before Election Day, Talarico appeared on 'The Diary of a CEO' podcast, where he proposed that the two could find common ground on housing, healthcare, and education.
"I would love, as the next US senator from Texas, to work with Donald Trump to actually fulfill some of the promise of his political project," Talarico told podcast host Steven Bartlett.
"Because the promise of MAGA was that we were going to transform this government so that it delivered for the people who have been left behind, the people who have been forgotten in this country, and there's still time to do that."
The Democratic nominee identified housing policy as one area where the two could find common ground, citing Trump's decades of experience in real estate development before entering politics.
"If he wants to tackle the housing problem, Donald Trump is a builder," Talarico said.
"If he wants us to slash the red tape in this country so we could build millions of new homes and ensure everyone in this country has a place to call home, I'm there. I'll work with them to do it. I would love to do that."
Talarico also identified expanding access to healthcare and reforming education as areas where he would be willing to work with the Trump administration.
Talarico accuses Ken Paxton of corruption, targets Elon Musk's influence
Talarico's proposal to work with Trump came after he launched a scathing attack on Paxton, even suggesting that Elon Musk was trying to buy the Texas Senate seat.
Musk, the world's richest man, has poured $158 million into the Texas Senate race in support of Paxton. Talarico likened the contest to the biblical battle between David and Goliath.
“We are going up against our own Goliaths: those billionaire mega-donors, those corporate special interests, the entire Washington, DC, establishment,” Talarico said.
Talarico also slammed the influence of billionaires in Texas politics, calling his opponent “the most corrupt politician in Texas.”
“Ken Paxton is everything that’s wrong with our politics. He doesn’t serve us; he serves himself,” Talarico said.
“Since taking office, Ken Paxton has increased his net worth by $27 million, all while our pay has remained stagnant. He now owns 15 homes, while most Texans are struggling to afford one.”
“It’s hard to get 15 homes in a game of Monopoly. I don’t know how Ken Paxton got 15 homes.
He was impeached by his own party for taking bribes from wealthy donors, all while he blocked our overtime pay and gutted our healthcare. This is the rot at the core of our broken political system,” he continued.
