Fort Bend Truth & Times endorses James Talarico for the United States Senate. His experience as a public school teacher and state legislator, along with his focus on education, health care, and the cost of living, makes him the stronger choice to represent Texas.
A senator’s decisions reach into the daily lives of families: the cost of medicine and insurance, the strength of schools and workforce programs, the reliability of energy, and the rules that shape jobs and economic growth. Fort Bend is a diverse and fast-growing county. We need a senator who understands that national policy must work for communities like ours.
Talarico taught sixth-grade English in San Antonio before entering public service. He was first elected to the Texas House in 2018 and served on its Public Education Committee. His path gives him direct experience with both the classroom and the legislative process.
His record includes work on student mental-health programs, Pre-K class-size limits, and child care. Those efforts speak to a core concern for Fort Bend families: whether children have the support they need to learn and whether parents can manage the cost of care while working. A senator cannot solve every local school challenge, but can influence federal policy and make the needs of students, educators, and families part of the national debate.
Education is also an economic issue. Fort Bend’s future depends on a skilled workforce and on clear pathways from school to college, technical training, and good jobs. Talarico has made public education and career training priorities. We expect him to pursue those goals with practical proposals and to work with communities, employers, and educators across the state.
Affordability deserves the same attention. Families are managing housing, health care, prescription, and transportation costs. Talarico says he would work to protect health coverage and lower prescription-drug costs. Those are campaign promises, and Texans should hold him to measurable progress if he is elected.
The senator Texas sends to Washington must also understand the state’s energy economy. Fort Bend and the Houston region depend on energy jobs and reliable power, while families and businesses need costs they can plan around. Talarico has spoken about energy and affordability as connected issues. We expect him to engage seriously with Texas energy workers, producers, consumers, and local leaders as demand grows.
Talarico has also made government accountability a central part of his campaign. He says he has not accepted corporate PAC money and supports reforms intended to make elected officials more accountable. Voters should assess those commitments alongside his record and expect transparency about how he votes and whom his decisions help.
An endorsement is not a blank check. Talarico should give Texans clear answers on border security, public safety, energy reliability, and the needs of rural communities. If elected, he should listen beyond his political base, explain difficult votes, and show how his proposals would work in practice.
Still, his record as a teacher and legislator, and his focus on issues that shape family budgets and future opportunity, offer Fort Bend a sound basis for support. The office demands judgment, preparation, and a willingness to serve people whose experiences differ from one another. Talarico has shown a commitment to those responsibilities, and voters should expect him to keep demonstrating it in the Senate. Early Voting early starts now/ The general election for U.S. Senate is November 3, 2026.
