James Talarico tells Elon Musk at Austin rally: 'Texas is not for sale'
Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico accused Elon Musk of trying to buy the Texas Senate seat for Ken Paxton, telling a packed University of Texas at Austin rally on Friday that "Texas is not for sale."
James Talarico tells Elon Musk at Austin rally: 'Texas is not for sale'
A packed auditorium at his alma mater
The 37-year-old state representative and Presbyterian seminarian returned to the campus where he studied, filling an auditorium at the University of Texas at Austin with hundreds of students and supporters on Friday. Behind him hung a giant Texan state flag, and 40 young supporters lined the stage holding "Talarico" signs.
The rally came with the Texas Senate race entering its final stretch. Democrats are seeking their first statewide win since 1994, and early voting began on 19 October - Talarico cast his own ballot earlier that same day.
'Texas is not for sale'
Talarico put Musk, not Paxton, at the centre of his speech. The world's richest man, he told the crowd, is "almost single-handedly bankrolling this effort to install Ken Paxton in the US Senate" and to stop his movement.
He said the evidence was already reaching voters' phones and doorsteps. "In all likelihood, if you've seen an attack ad on your screens, that was Elon," he said, adding that Musk stood behind attack ads, mailed lies and scary text messages targeting his campaign.
Federal filings show Musk's political spending has included $158m to the Senate Leadership Fund. The Texas-based billionaire, who moved SpaceX, Tesla, X and other businesses to the state, then saw that committee pass on an identical sum to Texas PAC, a Republican super PAC backing Paxton's candidacy. Talarico told the crowd that super PACs and billionaire mega-donors are spending $200m in the most expensive Senate race in US history to defeat him.
"Elon Musk is trying to buy the Senate seat."
Talarico framed the choice for voters in blunt terms: "This election is about whether you want senator who serves you or serves their billionaire mega donors." He said Musk wants Texas land, water, tax dollars and his own senator, and that on November 3 voters will tell the world's first trillionaire that Texas is not for sale.
He closed the argument with a David-and-Goliath reference: "Big money is powerful, but it is nothing compared to people power." By his campaign's account, his movement is funded by 1.3 million individuals, with $64m raised from July through September - more than triple Paxton's total - and 97% of donations under $100 each. Paxton, he said, is funded by "one dude".
The rival on stage and in the crosshairs
- Talarico denounced Paxton, who was impeached by his own party over corruption accusations, as the most corrupt politician in the state's history.
- "I have a legislative record; Ken Paxton has a criminal record," Talarico told the auditorium.
- Paxton, a staunch ally of Donald Trump, is the Texas attorney general and Talarico's Republican opponent in the race.
The impeachment, led by Paxton's own party, anchored Talarico's case that the contest is a contrast in records rather than a routine partisan fight. Talarico, a sitting state representative, leaned on his legislative work as the difference between the two candidates.
Voters at the rally
Supporters in the audience had their own reasons for showing up. Alina Anil, a 19-year-old University of Texas student who had already voted, said Texas needs change and that Talarico seems promising.
"He was a teacher before, so I have faith in that and I have faith in him."
Dakota Walker, a 31-year-old pediatric physical therapist, wore a custom T-shirt in the style of the Topo-Chico brand reading "Talafrico: Talarico refreshing for Texas". "I know we need healthcare reform and he is very big on that," she said. Asked what a Democratic statewide victory would mean, she said: "Oh man, I'll probably cry, honestly. We need a lot of change and I feel like it's time for a new era."
Patrick Pearson, a 46-year-old assistive technology professional, said he backs Talarico for his positive message and commitment to policy change.
The next step is the November 3 election day itself. Talarico, having voted early on Friday, asked the crowd to make sure that on that date the world's first trillionaire hears that Texas is not for sale.
