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James Talarico and the Art of the Walk-Back

October 5, 2026 · 7:25 am ET · Leave a Comment

“Republican Ken Paxton had one thing going for him early on in his Senate race against Democrat James Talarico: Talarico’s own words,” the Wall Street Journal reports.

“So why is Talarico still ahead in many Texas polls?”

“The 37-year-old Democrat has said plenty of controversial things, and in a way, he is sort of owning them. He has acknowledged that some of his past comments are ‘cringey’ and is essentially asking for Texans’ understanding.”

“This is an approach that Vice President JD Vance used quite effectively during the 2024 campaign.”

2026 Campaign, Senate

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Taegan Goddard

Taegan Goddard

Taegan Goddard is the founder of Political Wire -- which for more than two decades has been one of the nation's most influential political news sites.

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