Racially Charged Texts Target Talarico in Texas Senate Race

Key points

• Text messages sent to Texas voters ask, 'Are you white?' and claim Talarico labeled white men as America’s top terror threat.
• The messages direct recipients to a website paid for by the American Political Action Committee, a group founded by conservative Alan Gottlieb.
• The attack references a comment Talarico made regarding a Department of Homeland Security report on domestic terrorism.
• Rep. Marc Veasey described the texts as a throwback to the racial politics of the 1980s and 1990s.
• SMU professor Matthew Wilson noted that such tactics indicate increased out-of-state spending in the race.

Background

The Texas U.S. Senate race between James Talarico and Ken Paxton has been highly competitive, with recent polls showing Talarico holding a narrow lead. Previous coverage highlighted Talarico’s efforts to mobilize Black and Latino voters and his challenges to Paxton for debates. This new development adds a racial dimension to the campaign’s negative advertising phase.

How outlets are covering it

NBC News and NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth report the same core facts, identifying the American Political Action Committee as the funder and noting the lack of response from its founder, Alan Gottlieb. They emphasize the legal context of Citizens United allowing such independent spending. A Daily Kos community post confirms the receipt of these texts by a registered Democrat, expressing frustration but choosing to donate to Talarico’s campaign rather than click the link. While the news outlets focus on the mechanics and history of the PAC, the community perspective highlights the direct impact on voters and their reaction.

Why it matters

This incident illustrates the intensifying and potentially polarizing tactics being used in the 2026 midterm elections. It highlights how out-of-state groups are leveraging independent spending to influence competitive races, potentially appealing to voter frustration over economic issues through divisive racial messaging.

What to watch

Experts suggest this may be the beginning of a larger wave of out-of-state spending in the Texas Senate race. The American Political Action Committee has not responded to requests for comment, and the effectiveness of these texts on voter behavior remains to be seen as the election approaches.