By Bianca Flowers and Nolan D. McCaskill
CHICAGO, April 9 (Reuters) - A coalition of white, college-educated Democrats and Latino voters delivered Texas state Representative James Talarico the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate last month. But his chance of winning the seat in November may hinge on a group that he did not capture much support from: Black voters.
Talarico, a white Presbyterian seminarian who has emphasized his Christian faith, defeated U.S. Representative Jasmine Crockett, a Black woman whose sharp criticism of President Donald Trump and Republicans made her a prominent figure in the party.
Texans haven’t elected a Democrat statewide since 1994, so for Talarico to get there, he’ll have to win over a significant percentage of Crockett’s voters, some of whom felt slighted by his supporters questioning her electability versus a Republican in November.
While Crockett's late bid lacked the campaign infrastructure and fundraising abilities of her opponent, some of her voters saw the notion that a white state representative was more electable than a Black congresswoman as rooted in racism and sexism.
“A lot of people took offense to that. Me personally included,” said state Representative Lauren Ashley Simmons, whose Houston district includes several historically Black neighborhoods. “They have to do the work to invest resources in reaching Black voters and making them feel centered and a part of this campaign.”
Talarico received 1.21 million votes in the primary compared to Crockett’s 1.07 million, but in the 15 counties in the state where at least one in five voting-age citizens identify as Black, Crockett handily beat Talarico, 57% to 42%, according to a Reuters analysis.
Dallas Jones, a Texas Democratic strategist, believes Talarico doesn't need an "overwhelming surge" of support from Black voters, but he does need to make sure they don't stay home.
“He cannot win this state without the support of Black Texans," Jones said.
Republicans hold a 53-47 majority in the U.S. Senate, and while Texas is not a central part of national Democrats’ strategy to flip the chamber, a Democratic upset would expand the number of pathways to taking over in November. Even if the race is close, it could force Republicans to divert critical resources from battleground states to pour money into what could be the most expensive Senate seat in history.
A spokesman for Senate Democrats' campaign arm said its candidates aren't taking any votes for granted.
‘BLACK VOTERS ARE THE BASE OF THE PARTY’
Talarico, 36, has campaigned on expanding his appeal beyond the party’s traditional base. But now he needs to strike a delicate balance: appeal to the swing voters he courted during the primary while earning the trust of Black voters.
"We have to remember Black voters are the base of the party,” said Bakari Sellers, a Democratic strategist.
Talarico’s campaign told Reuters that it is investing on-the-ground outreach in Harris and Dallas counties, home to large Black populations, as well as rural Black communities like Sand Branch, volunteering to help deliver clean water and making appearances at small community gatherings.
"It’s on me to ensure Black Texans feel welcomed in, represented by, and proud of this campaign. That’s why we’re out doing the work right now to build the coalition we need to win in November: showing up everywhere to listen and to learn," Talarico said in a statement to Reuters.
Activists say that over the coming months, Talarico will have to shore up his support among Black voters by speaking to their concerns such as unemployment in the community and rising housing and healthcare costs.
"When it comes to Talarico, they are talking about what is he going to do to help those Black women who lost their federal jobs regain employment?” said Brianna Brown, executive director of the Texas Organizing Project, a nonpartisan organization that endorsed Crockett. “They're talking about good-paying jobs — we're still at a $7.25 minimum wage in Texas.”
Pearline Harper, a 72-year-old Crockett voter from Dallas, said she feels the healthcare system has "neglected elders." She blames Republicans, who control the White House and both chambers of Congress, for her rising healthcare costs.
"I just want it to go back to when doctors were taking care of patients because they were sick, not because … insurance companies tell them what they can do," Harper said.
COURTING CHRISTIAN VOTERS
Talarico has been courting faith leaders in an attempt to connect with Black Christian voters.
"We're working to get him scheduled to come preach at our church. There's been feedback from pastors that he's genuine and humble," said Pastor Richie Butler, who hosted a roundtable for Talarico to speak last month in north Texas.
Butler initially supported Crockett but will vote for Talarico in the general election and said he'll be organizing voter engagement events in hopes of boosting Black voter turnout.
Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis, an initial supporter of Crockett, endorsed Talarico after he reached out by text message seeking his support.
When the two spoke, Ellis said he told Talarico that the key to winning would be engaging voters in Harris County who don't reliably turn out and generating enthusiasm among Crockett supporters in East Texas to boost turnout on Election Day.
"I've told him you've got to figure out a way to get her involved," he said. "There's a difference between someone endorsing you and being for you."
Still, political experts say Talarico's fight is just beginning and that whichever Republican candidate emerges from a May 26 runoff — U.S. Senator John Cornyn or Attorney General Ken Paxton — is favored to win in November. Trump has yet to endorse either candidate.
“James Talarico is the underdog. He can’t make the assumption that he’s destined to get somewhere around 90% of the Black vote," said Andra Gillespie, an associate professor at Emory University.
Simmons, the state representative who supported Crockett, credited Talarico’s team for reaching out early to Black elected officials and community leaders but said she told his campaign, "Y’all have a lot of work to do to get support and trust and rebuild some bonds in the Black community."
"It’s not enough for people like me that have served with him and know him to go out in our communities and say, ‘Vote blue, no matter who,’” she told Reuters. "It can’t be assumed that we’re just going to support whoever’s on the ticket."
(Reporting by Bianca Flowers in Chicago and Nolan D. McCaskill in Washington; Additional reporting by Jason Lange; Editing by Kat Stafford, Michael Learmonth and Alistair Bell)
