Texas Democrat James Talarico, a candidate for the U.S. Senate, has taken a more moderate approach towards border security, criticizing President Joe Biden in a recent campaign ad. Talarico previously advocated for redirecting Texas’ border-security funds toward public education.
In a campaign ad released on Monday, Talarico accused Biden of failing on border security. However, his campaign has not provided evidence of past public criticism of Biden. In a 2019 interview, he suggested reallocating Texas’ entire $800 million biennial border-security budget to education. This budget was then allocated entirely to counter illegal immigration in Texas.
Talarico has adjusted his immigration stance in an attempt to appeal to a broader electorate in Texas, a state facing high levels of illegal immigration. He criticized traditional border enforcement methods, arguing they were costly and ineffective. His past criticisms resurface as data from the Department of Homeland Security shows a record low in border crossings during the Trump administration.
During his campaign, Talarico has called himself a “border security” Democrat. Contrarily, he previously opposed border security reforms and criticized Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). He has labeled Republican Governor Greg Abbott’s border policies as “atrocities” and described undocumented immigrants as his “constituents.” Despite this history, Talarico’s campaign claims he currently supports stronger border enforcement.
Talarico, who has faced controversies and scrutiny over his previous statements, is running in a competitive race against GOP opponent Ken Paxton. Despite facing rumors about his absence from the campaign trail, Talarico recently clarified that he had been recovering from the flu.
The Senate contest in Texas remains closely contested as the November midterm elections near.
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