James Talarico
Talarico, a former teacher, has served in the Texas House since 2019. There he fought the 2025 school voucher bill, offering an amendment to send it to voters that the House tabled, and opposed a bill requiring the Ten Commandments in classrooms, calling it un-American. In 2026 he won Texas's Senate race over Ken Paxton despite more than $200 million in outside spending against him, according to CNBC, campaigning on public schools, the cost of living and opposition to big money in politics.
Talarico has not yet served in federal office. This grade rests on his record in the Texas House and the positions he took in his 2026 Senate campaign. He has no record on foreign policy, trade or building, so those criteria are not graded.
This grade is preliminary and based on the public record to date.
The grades
- SovereigntyDid they put American interests first and keep decisions in American hands?B
- HemisphereDid they guard the Americas against rival powers and threats?N/R
- No entangling warsDid they keep the country out of wars that weakened it and served no American interest?N/R
- StatecraftDid they use diplomacy, force and alliances skillfully, on American terms?N/R
- Industry and tradeDid they protect and build American industry?N/R
- Working AmericansDid ordinary working families do better because of them?B+
- BuildingDid they build things that lasted and push the frontier forward?N/R
- NationDid they strengthen a shared American identity and the Union?C+
- CompetenceWere they capable and effective in office?B-
- IntegrityDid they govern honestly, free of corruption and of capture by donors or foreign interests, and do what they said?B+
On the axes
Dark dot: James Talarico. Red mark: the Monroe Society. Ideological closeness to the Society: 72%.