Texas Senator-elect James Talarico says the Democratic sweep in the midterm elections goes beyond party lines.
“This was bigger than the Democratic Party or the Republican Party. Texans from all corners of our state demanded change and now change is on the way,” Talarico said in an interview on “Good Morning America” Wednesday, hours after he beat his Republican challenger, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
Talarico, a former teacher and seminarian, campaigned on lowering costs and fighting corruption, a sticking point against his challenger Paxton, whose campaign was overshadowed by fraud and corruption allegations, which he has denied.
Talarico said he would work with Republicans and President Donald Trump to bring about change for Americans, touting his previous track record in the Texas House of Representatives.
“In the state house, I worked with both parties to pass 60 bipartisan bills to lower people’s costs,” he said. “I think we could repeal these tariffs to lower grocery prices. I think we could suspend the federal gas tax and the federal diesel tax to provide some relief at the pump. And I hope that we can end this disastrous war in Iran so that we can bring down prices across the board.”
Democrats are projected to take control of both the House and Senate and Talarico said Americans aren’t seeing eye to eye with President Trump’s stance on tariffs and the ongoing war with Iran.
“I think the people of this country may have convinced [Trump] last night. They delivered a resounding message that they want the president, they want both parties in Congress to focus on them, to focus on making their lives easier and better and less stressful, and that’s not a Democratic thing or a Republican thing,” said Talarico.
Another major issue Talarico said he hopes to tackle is immigration.
“We need to bring both parties together to pass comprehensive immigration reform that includes border security,” Talarico said. “We have to know who’s coming into our country but we should also fight for more legal pathways for hardworking immigrants to come here and contribute to our economy, make us richer and stronger as a nation and we should pass a pathway to citizenship for our neighbors who have been here for years and decades and they can come out of the shadows.”
Talarico also reiterated his campaign message of leading with a focus on loving fellow Americans.
“I’m called to love all of my neighbors, not just my neighbors who look like me, or pray like me, or vote like me. And that’s what this campaign was built on: a deep love for all of our neighbors,” Talarico said, adding, “I think it’s a model for what politics can look like in our state and in our country in the years ahead.”
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