James Talarico

From the Texas battle for U.S. Senate to who’s running to be the state’s next governor, here are the key races — and candidates — to be watching as we head into 2026.

Talarico has outpaced the $4.1 million former U.S. Rep. Colin Allred raised over the last three months.

“There is a deep hunger in this state and in this country for a different kind of politics,” said Texas House Rep. James Talarico at a rally in Round Rock Tuesday evening, just hours after the Austin Democrat announced his candidacy for Texas’ 2026 U.S. Senate race.

The Democrat's district covers North Austin, but he’s gained nationwide support through Instagram and TikTok. Clips of Talarico condemning Republican policies have gone viral on both platforms, where he’s amassed 1.2 million followers.