I have been waiting in vain for some of James Talarico’s fellow Democrats, specifically prominent ones, to stand up and say publicly that Talarico does not deserve the level of drubbing and outrage he is receiving for this mess called “Mediocre” Gate that he’s gotten himself into. I haven’t seen or heard any high ranking Democrats step forward. So I’m going to take a shot at it myself.
Since I have to do it, I’m going to add that I think this controversy sheds light on the dysfunctional dynamics within the Texas Democratic Party — most of which are shared by the national party.
I do want to acknowledge that I found at least one Democrat who — while not directly defending Talarico — spoke out bluntly on the mess Democrats have made of the Senate primary. According to the Austin American-Statesman, Monique Alcala, “a former executive director of the Texas Democratic Party and a former regional director for EMILY’s List,” said, “I was telling a friend of mine who is a Texan but lives in D.C. a month or so ago that I feel really good about Democratic momentum nationally, but that it’s only a matter of time until Texas Democrats totally (expletive) it up. So right on cue.”
Not a Talarico Apologist
Before getting into Mediocre Gate I want to make clear that I do not come to this task as a James Talarico apologist. For instance in February 2024 I wrote about how Congressman Greg Casar, Talarico and eight others co-signed a letter supporting District Attorney José Garza in his successful 2024 reelection bid, despite Garza’s clear record of being soft on violent criminals — including brutalizers of women.
In the 2024 letter the ten Democratic elected officials demanded that Garza’s Democratic opponent “renounce Republican money and Republican attacks in the Democratic Primary in our community.” They explained, “A recent review of your donors reveals that a significant amount of your resources in the Democratic Primary comes from wealthy individuals who have supported Republicans like Donald Trump, Nikki Haley and Ted Cruz.” Casar, Talarico and the other eight signers did not provide any names of donors to back their claims.
What was not known at the time was that the very next day Talarico accepted two contributions totaling $54,500 from the Texas Sands PAC. That PAC is affiliated with Miriam Adelson, the widow of Sheldon Adelson – who was a Las Vegas casino magnate and huge Republican donor. Adelson is also a major donor to Donald Trump. Two watchdog websites, Visual Capitalist and Open Secrets, reported that Miriam Adelson was the third biggest donor to Trump in 2024, after Elon Musk and Timothy Mellon.
Keep in mind that this is James Talarico, the seminary student who is famous for bringing open discussion of Christianity back into the Democratic Party. I remember that there is a term in Christianity for a person who condemns another for doing something and then does that same thing himself: hypocrite.
At his debate with Crockett, Talarico was asked how he squares the Adelson PAC contribution with his oft-repeated assertion “I am the only candidate in this race who doesn’t take corporate PAC money.” In answering, the man who is bringing Christianity back to Democrats came very close to bearing false witness. Let’s just say it’s a good thing that the stone tablets Moses brought down from the mountain didn’t say anything like, “Thou shalt not give intentionally misleading answers.” The bottom line, according to Talarico, is that the contribution from the Adelson PAC was before this particular campaign.
So, now that I have hopefully established that I’m not an apologist for James Talarico let’s move on and look at his current predicament.
Before commencing that, a note to readers: The core of this article involves going through videos and statements made by the principals in the story. Most of the reporting on this topic has involved quoting very short snippets from longer statements people made. Here we quote more of what was said in hopes of providing a clearer picture. That also makes for a longer article.
Back to Mediocre Gate – Beginning with the Influencer’s statement
As many people know by now, the Talarico vs Crockett race was derailed by a TikTok post from a young Texas-based online “influencer” named Morgan Thompson. A short review is needed here to explain the people mentioned in her video. In 2024 Colin Allred gave up his seat in Congress to run for Senate against Ted Cruz. He lost. Next, Allred entered the current Democratic Senate race. Talarico later announced that he was running for the seat, meaning that he and Allred would be running against each other. Just before the filing deadline Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett entered the race and Allred withdrew. He is now trying to win his old Congressional seat back from Julie Johnson, the Democrat who replaced him when he left to run against Cruz.
Now to the influencer’s TikTok video: Not one to bury the lead, Thompson began: “James Talarico told me that he signed up to run against a ‘mediocre Black man’ not a formidable and intelligent Black woman.” As Thompson talked, text on the screen read ‘“mediocre Black man.”’ Thompson then said she would explain why this is “problematic.”
Screenshot of Influencer Morgan Thompson in the TikTok video that scrambled the Democratic Senate primary
Thompson then acknowledged that she earlier endorsed Talarico, before Crockett entered the race. As she spoke a message on the screen read “No, Jasmine did not pay me to share this nor am I a part of any smear campaign.” She then assured everyone: “I’m not bringing this forward because I want to bring any more negativity to this race. I care way too much about Texas to do something like that. But, I do think it is my responsibility to bring something like this forward.”
One could perhaps be forgiven for wondering if this is a case where “the lady doth protest too much.”
Thompson continued with something of an identity politics-based psychological analysis of Talarico: “The obvious intimidation of Jasmine Crockett, along with the racially charged disrespect of Colin Allred as a Black man, indicates something deeper than just an overly familiar comment that is coded in a compliment for a Black woman.” Thompson didn’t explain or give an example of Talarico’s “obvious intimidation of Jasmine Crockett.”
“Attack ads” is a standard term in politics for ads in which one candidate criticizes, or attacks, an opponent or an opponent’s positions. According to influencer Thompson, however, it’s not that simple: “Using this language when you have the privilege of being a white man, when people across the political spectrum are also using the (flashing air quotes) ‘angry black woman’ that’s aggressive trope to attack her is micro-aggressive.”
“Using this language when you have the privilege of being a white man, when people across the political spectrum are also using the (flashing air quotes) ‘angry black woman’ that’s aggressive trope to attack her is micro-aggressive.”
Morgan Thompson
Thompson added that this is “an indication of his insecurity around his candidacy or it is indicating that he has something to hide.”
Thompson then explained how she came to have the conversation with Talarico in which he used the term “mediocre.”
“I was angry and concerned after receiving an email and a text message from James Carville on Talarico’s behalf, for donations.” She explained that Carville “has made comments recently about the need for Democrats to drop (air quotes again) ‘woke politics.’ He even wrote an article in November for the New York Times saying exactly that.” Thompson continued, “I’m always gonna advocate for Black people, because I don’t care how much you talk about affordability, housing, health care, whatever – if woke politics is not included in that, which directly impacts Black people, then we are left out of that conversation and policy.”
Thompson signed off by saying, “yes, I am voting for Jasmine Crockett for Senate and I encourage you to do so as well.”
Allred Quickly Leaps Into the Fray
Allred quickly tagged in with a video statement posted on X: “I understand that James Talarico had the temerity and the audacity to say to a Black woman that he had signed up to run against a mediocre Black man, meaning me, not a formidable intelligent Black woman, meaning Jasmine Crockett.”
As Jonathan Chait noted in the Atlantic, Allred clearly had not checked with Talarico or verified Thompson’s claim because he used the language “I understand that . . .”
Colin Allred in X screenshot during statement addressing James Talarico
That’s a point worth considering. Allred could have called Talarico and asked him to explain. He could have emailed. He could have used an intermediary. There were a number of other less confrontational ways of handling the situation, especially if Allred was interested in remaining true to the reason he gave for leaving the race in the first place: “I’ve come to believe that a bruising Senate Democratic primary and runoff would prevent the Democratic Party from going into this critical election unified against the danger posed to our communities and our constitution by Donald Trump and one of his Republican bootlickers Paxton, Cornyn, or Hunt.”
“I’ve come to believe that a bruising Senate Democratic primary and runoff would prevent the Democratic Party from going into this critical election unified against the danger posed to our communities and our constitution by Donald Trump . . .”
Colin Allred when he left the senate race in December
Such concerns had clearly vanished by the time Allred recorded his video. And, like Thompson, Allred repeatedly made the dispute about race:
“First of all, let me give you some free advice, James. If you want to compliment Black women, James, just do it. Just do it. Don’t do it while also tearing down a Black man. OK, we’ve seen that play before. We’re sick and tired of it. We’re tired of folks using praise for Black women to mask criticism for Black men.”
Next Allred took aim at Talarico’s open discussion of his Christian faith, and tied that back to race: “You are not saving religion for the Democratic Party, or the left. We already have Senator, Reverend, Dr., Raphael Warnock for that. We don’t need you. You’re not saying anything unique. You’re just saying it looking like you do.”
“You are not saving religion for the Democratic Party, or the left. We already have Senator, Reverend, Dr., Raphael Warnock for that. We don’t need you. You’re not saying anything unique. You’re just saying it looking like you do.” Colin Allred to James Talarico via X
Allred then addressed himself “to all the young Black men out there, all the young men that come from tough backgrounds . . . who maybe think that someday you want to put yourself forward as a leader in your community.” He then warned, “haters like this (Talarico) are gonna show up. And you’re gonna feel like you have to be twice as good and jump twice as high and talk twice as well. . . there’s going to be folks like this and when we see them we should say ‘thank you, thank you for taking off the mask. Thank you for telling us who you are and what you really think.’”
Allred then closed with a warning to Talarico: “Goodbye, OK, because we’re on our way and we don’t need you to come with us and we don’t need your help to get there. So, with that being said, go vote for Jasmine Crockett, this man should not be our nominee for United States Senate.”
The last assertion could certainly be interpreted as meaning that Allred is saying Talarico won’t be needed in the fall campaign if Crockett gets the nomination. This doesn’t seem like a winning strategy for a state party that hasn’t won a US Senate seat since 1988.
James Talarico in a social media post he made after voting early in the 2024 election
Allred concluded with an explanation of sorts, “I wasn’t going to get involved in this race, but listen; don’t come for me unless I send for you, OK James. And keep my name out of your mouth while you’re at it.”
Talarico Issues Statement
Talarico issued a statement in which he said of the TikToker’s charges: “This is a mischaracterization of a private conversation. In my praise of Congresswoman Crockett, I described Congressman Allred’s method of campaigning as mediocre – but his life and service are not. I would never attack him on the basis of race.”
Talarico continued, “As a Black man in America, Congressman Allred has had to work twice as hard to get where he is.”
Talarico wasn’t the only one who felt Allred’s 2024 campaign was mediocre. For instance, shortly after the 2024 election Texas Monthly ran an article titled “What Happened to Colin Allred.” They didn’t use the M word, but they contrasted his campaign strategy with that of Beto O’Rourke, who six years earlier campaigned in all 254 Texas counties and came much closer to defeating Cruz than Allred did. (O’Rourke lost by three percentage points, Allred by nine.)
Texas Monthly reported, “Allred mounted a campaign that was almost the polar opposite of O’Rourke’s. . . he campaigned with curious infrequency and kept a low profile, preferring intimate roundtables to megawatt rallies.” They added, “he failed to define himself as anything other than the anti–Ted Cruz, allowing Republicans to fill in the blanks with an expensive barrage of often misleading TV ads.”
Crockett’s Path to Believing the Accusation
So how did Jasmine Crockett respond to the accusations against Talarico? As the Grionotes, “Crockett initially took a more reserved stance on the alleged comment by Talarico.” For instance, according to a New York Times summary of a February 2 Crockett interview with the “Fort Worth Star Telegram’s editorial board, Crockett “said she had never heard Mr. Talarico say anything ‘racial.’” She added, ‘“Have I ever experienced Talarico say anything like this? Absolutely not.’”
Jasmine Crockett from her campaign website
By February 5, when the Grio story appeared, Crockett had changed her tune. The Grio reported, “The Dallas congresswoman said she weighed several factors before deciding whether to believe it.” One factor was what the Grio described as Allred’s “fiery response.” Allred’s tone, said Crockett, contrasted with his usual “even-tempered” and “measured” demeanor. The Grio added that Crockett has known Allred “for years.”
A second, similar, convincing factor for Crockett was, “This is not a guy that would just go out there and respond because something was on social media. I know that he did his due diligence before he made a response.”
“This is not a guy that would just go out there and respond because something was on social media. I know that he did his due diligence before he made a response.”
Jasmine Crockett on Colin Allred
This rationale raises questions about Crockett’s own “due diligence.” After all Allred didn’t mention doing any “due diligence.” He began his discussion of Talarico’s alleged statement by saying, “I understand that James Talarico. . . ” He went on to respond angrily to the comment that the influencer claimed that Talarico made. So Crockett, in part, decided that Talarico had made the alleged statement based on her faith that Allred engaged in “due diligence” — when Allred’s video made clear that he had not verified the accusation before speaking out.
Crockett then noted that Talarico acknowledged using the word “mediocre.” She then continued, “‘The criminal defense attorney in me, after I read his statement, says, oh, you said it. Right? Because now it’s, oh, she misinterpreted [him]. Because, of course, a Black woman would misinterpret, right? Like, I mean, it’s all these things, but you admitted to the time, you admitted that the conversation took place with this person, you admitted to actually using that word.”’
Here, Crockett introduces another racial charge about Talarico; claiming that a “Black woman” had “misinterpreted” something he said. Crockett doesn’t appear to have left Talarico any option where he could deny making the alleged statement without (further) insulting a “Black woman.”
Crockett described still one more Talarico affront to Black people, while also attributing that affront to “even . . . well-intentioned white folk” regardless of “political affiliation.”
“It’s obviously really problematic. I think it is what so many Black people fear; that even the most quote-unquote well-intentioned white folk, sometimes behind closed doors, may say things about us…and it doesn’t matter your political affiliation.”
And, adds Crockett, “I think that it is a real fear that a lot of, not just Black people, but minorities have about how they may get talked about behind closed doors.”
Here Crockett gives no examples of white people (“well-intentioned” or otherwise) actually talking about Black people, or other minorities, “behind closed doors.” The Congresswoman just expresses “fear” that “the most quote-unquote well-intentioned white folk,” regardless of “political affiliation” “may say” things about Black people, “sometimes behind closed doors.”
Tallying Up The Seven Deadly Racial Sins of James Talarico
Well, it was only a few days ago James Talarico was a rising Democratic golden boy recapturing the teachings of Jesus Christ for wayward Democrats. He may still be. The voters will decide that. But, in closing it seems appropriate to list and review the transgressions for which Talarico stands accused. This is not only to review the list for readers as this article ends; but also to illustrate how, especially when it comes to race, one charge after another can pile up, given how fearful most Democrats are to challenge any assertion made by a Democratic person of color. OK, let’s review.
An online “influencer” charged that Talarico called a former Congressman and former candidate for the same seat a “mediocre Black man.” She did not provide any evidence or proof.
The influencer also said that Talarico was “micro-aggressive” in using the term “attack ads” to describe ads he thought Jasmine Crockett, “a Black woman” was planning to run in her campaign.
Then Allred accused Talarico of praising a Black woman “while also tearing down a Black man.”
Allred also said that Talarico is a “hater” who will “show up” when “young Black men. . . maybe think that someday you want to put yourself forward as a leader in your community;”
And Allred said, as if addressing Talarico directly, “We don’t need you” to be “saving religion for the Democratic Party” because Democrats already have “Senator, Reverend, Dr., Raphael Warnock for that.”
Crockett, after convincing herself that Allred had done his “due diligence” criticized Talarico for maintaining that a “Black woman” had “misinterpreted” something he said.
Crockett also said that Talarico had tapped into a “fear” held by “many Black people” and other “minorities“ that “even the most quote-unquote well-intentioned white folk” say things about them “behind closed doors.”
Talarico’s Missed Clintonian Opportunity
In closing I have some ideas for what Talarico might have said and still has the opportunity to say — although chances of him doing so range from zero to extremely unlikely. But, here goes.
My idea is that Talarico should channel Bill Clinton and his Sister Souljah moment in June 1992. That would go something like this:
“This type of tactic — trying to destroy people based on false or misleading accusations about race — occurs far, far too often in our party. And way too many people in our party cower when someone uses tactics like this. In fact that’s what just about every Democrat does in this type of situation.
This sort of tactic not only unfairly damages the reputations of the people targeted, but it is also a critical factor in keeping more people from joining the party; or, more importantly, voting for Democrats in general elections. And it is a terrible, disgraceful tactic for relations among people of different races.
Yes, there are continuing racial disparities in our society, descending from slavery and racial discrimination. Like other injustices in our society they need to be addressed with as broad a multi-racial coalition as possible. But, the type of petty, opportunistic race-based tactics that have dominated this campaign the last two weeks need to stop. And Democrats need to be willing to confront those who insist on employing these tactics.”
For those who don’t know what I mean by a “Sister Souljah moment,” Sister Souljah was a rap singer at the time (now a novelist) who had recently been interviewed by the Washington Post. Reporters for the Post asked if she thought Black-on-white violence in the 1992 LA riots (after the acquittal of police officers who had beaten Rodney King) was a ‘wise, reasoned action”’
Sister Souljah replied, “Yeah, it was wise. I mean, if black people kill black people every day, why not have a week and kill white people?”
In an appearance before a gathering comprised mostly of Black activists Clinton brought up these remarks and condemned them. Sister Souljah had been on a panel at the gathering the night before Clinton spoke.
President Bill Clinton during his time at the White House – from Clinton Presidential Library
He reminded the group, “You had a rap singer here last night (on a panel) named Sister Souljah… Her comments before and after Los Angeles were filled with a kind of hatred that you do not honor today and tonight.” Clinton then read Sister Souljah’s comments and added, “If you took the words ‘white’ and ‘black’ and reversed them, you might think David Duke [founder of a Louisiana-based KKK organization] was giving that speech.”
Now, I know that no one in the current dispute has talked about killing anyone, but Clinton’s action grew to have continuing symbolic resonance for standing up to overheated racial rhetoric. His remarks were not only a challenge to the use of such rhetoric, but also framed himself as someone who would challenge racial divisiveness. This helped him win voters in the Democratic primaries and it helped him win the votes of many independents in the general election.
Clinton won the general election that year and went on to become one of the most popular presidents ever with Black Americans.
When Clinton won that election he broke a losing streak for Democrats. Republicans had held the presidency for 12 years, the first time Republicans had held the presidency that long since Harding, Coolidge and Hoover (1921-1933). It has been more than three times that long, 38 years, since Texas Democrats won a seat in the US Senate.
But, why try anything new, or courageous?
* Coming next: Enough about “white people.” What does Jasmine Crockett think about Latinos? Plus, what’s at stake.
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