A white Democratic candidate for Texas Senate just learned that complimenting one black politician while disparaging another in the same breath can derail a campaign faster than you can talk about “racial division.”
Story Overview
- State Rep. James Talarico reportedly called former Senate candidate Colin Allred a “mediocre black man” during a private conversation at a campaign rally.
- The accusation surfaced via TikTok on February 3, 2026, sparking immediate backlash from Allred, who has publicly supported Talarico’s opponent, Jasmine Crockett.
- Talarico called the comments a “misrepresentation,” saying he was criticizing Allred’s campaign strategy, not the man himself.
- The controversy reveals strong racial polarization in the Democratic primary, with black voters overwhelmingly supporting Crockett while white and Latino voters favor Talarico.
- Political experts warn the incident could cripple Talarico’s general election prospects by alienating black voters critical to defeating Republican incumbent John Cornyn.
When private conversations become public
James Talarico held a campaign rally in Plano, Texas, in January 2026, presenting himself as the Democratic Party’s best hope to challenge Republican Sen. John Cornyn. After the event, TikTok influencer Morgan Thompson of Dallas met privately with the candidate. What allegedly transpired during that conversation remained silent until February 3, when Thompson released a video recounting Talarico’s remarks. According to Thompson, while praising Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett as wonderful and intelligent, Talarico described Colin Allred as a “mediocre black man.” The video exploded on social media within hours, forcing all parties to go into damage control mode with just a month until the Texas primary election.
The answer that changed everything
Colin Allred, who ended his own Senate campaign against Cornyn in early December 2025 to run for Congress, has not remained silent. The former US congressman released a forceful video statement that yielded no results. “This man should not be our Senate candidate,” Allred said. “I wasn’t going to get involved in this race, but don’t come looking for me unless I send for you, okay James? And keep my name out of your mouth.” He highlighted a pointed criticism: “James, if you want to compliment black women, do it. Do it. Don’t do it by tearing down a black man.” Allred then publicly supported Crockett, turning what could have been a contained controversy into a full-blown primary battle with explicit racial dimensions.
The defense that convinced no one
Talarico released a written statement attempting to thread an incredibly narrow needle. He acknowledged the conversation but disputed its characterization, saying he had praised Crockett while only criticizing Allred’s “method of campaigning as poor”, not Allred himself or his life and service. He added that he understood “how my criticism of the congressman’s campaign could be interpreted given this country’s painful legacy of racism.” The statement demonstrated an awareness of the problem of optics, without categorically denying that he had used the words in question. Political observers noted what Talarico did not say: He never explicitly denied calling Allred a “mediocre black man,” only insisted that his intent was focused on campaign strategy rather than personal or racial attacks.
The Racial Fault Lines Democrats Prefer to Ignore
The controversy did not arise out of nowhere. The Texas Democratic primary had already revealed strong racial polarization that party officials found deeply uncomfortable. A recent poll showed that a large majority of black Democratic voters supported Crockett, while majorities of white and Latino voters favored Talarico. Mark Jones, a political scientist at Rice University, identified the subtext that many preferred to leave unsaid: “When Talarico’s supporters use electability terms in relation to Crockett, they are implying that a black woman would be a less successful candidate than a white man. » The purported remarks about Allred explicitly exposed these implicit dynamics, forcing Democrats to question whether their electability arguments masked racial bias disguised as strategic calculation.
The mathematics of minority participation
Mark Jones delivered the most devastating assessment of Talarico’s predicament, based on electoral arithmetic rather than moral judgment. “This is a potential problem for Talarico if he wins this race, but he is seen as winning this race by disrespecting African American candidates and voters, because ultimately Talarico needs very high black turnout in November 2026 if he is to have any hope of defeating his Republican rival.” Texas remains a red-leaning state where Democratic candidates face uphill battles in the general election. A Democratic candidate who alienates black voters in primaries risks almost certain defeat in November. Republican strategist Brendan Steinhauser assessed the situation bluntly: the controversy is “not big” for Talarico and “makes him lose a little of the momentum he had in recent weeks.”
The social media wildfire
The speed with which this controversy has spread illustrates the extent to which social media platforms like TikTok now function as alternative campaign channels with the power to shape political narratives in real time. Morgan Thompson’s video circumvented traditional media gatekeepers, forcing candidates and news organizations to respond to allegations they could not independently verify. CBS News Texas noted that it had not heard back from Thompson for additional comment, emphasizing that the original source remained largely unverified even as the story dominated political coverage. The incident demonstrates that in contemporary politics, a single social media post from a relatively unknown influencer can potentially derail a major campaign, particularly when the allegation involves racial insensitivity within a party that relies heavily on minority voter turnout.
Texas Democrat running for U.S. Senate under fire for allegedly making racist comments about black colleague https://t.co/C7QOvE5cYa #gatewaypundit via @gatewaypundit
— 🕊️ 💎𝐿𝒶𝓊𝓇𝒶 💎✨God is awesome all the time🙏 (@laura_7771) February 4, 2026
The uncomfortable questions that remain
Several critical uncertainties remain. The exact wording of Talarico’s original remarks remains controversial, with only Thompson’s account publicly available. The full context of the private conversation is unknown. Talarico’s carefully worded statement neither confirms nor denies the specific language attributed to him, instead reframing the conversation as a criticism of campaign tactics rather than personal or racial attacks. Crockett praised Allred’s response, saying he “has decided to stand up for everyone who has been targeted and talked about in a demeaning way as our country continues to be divided.” Whether voters accept Talarico’s explanation or view it as an attempt by a politician to downplay offensive remarks will determine not only the outcome of the Democratic primary, but potentially the viability of any Democratic challenge to Sen. Cornyn in November.
Sources:
‘Poor’ comment put Talarico’s Texas Senate campaign in the hot seat – Politico
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