RNC Chairman Joe Gruters says James Talarico’s effort to win Republican voters in Texas is not authentic and will not work.
Texas Senate candidate James Talarico is facing a fresh wave of Republican skepticism as he tries to build support beyond his party in a state that has long leaned red. The RNC chair, Joe Gruters, brushed off Talarico’s claim that he can assemble a Republican coalition, arguing that the effort will not hold up in the November race.
“Any chance that Talarico has building any type of Republican coalition is a pipe dream for him,” Gruters told Fox News Digital. “Nobody is going to follow him. He’s completely out of touch with Texans.” Gruters said the people held up as Republican supporters were actually longtime Democratic or anti-Trump activists, and he compared the effort to a fake crossover movement. He also said the campaign’s outreach resembles an attempt to manufacture Republican backing rather than prove it.
The dispute comes as Talarico has stressed that he wants to reach across the political spectrum, saying his campaign plans to “go everywhere and talk to everyone” before Election Day. Republicans, however, have pointed to the voting history and political activity of some of the people highlighted around his campaign. One woman described as a Republican mother has been identified in later reporting as Mindy McClure, with Federal Election Commission records showing repeated ActBlue donations tied to Democratic candidates and groups going back to 2018, including Kamala Harris and The Lincoln Project. Another woman featured in the outreach has a record showing more participation in Democratic primaries than Republican ones.
When the Talarico campaign was asked about the matter, it said the women do not hold official roles with the campaign. The campaign also pointed to the women’s comments on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” noting that they had previously voted for Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, though one later said she would not do so again. That back-and-forth has become a central part of the Republican counterattack, with GOP figures arguing that Talarico’s coalition talk is being overstated.
“RNC Chairman Joe Gruters says James Talarico’s effort to win Republican voters in Texas is not authentic and will not work.”
Republicans have also highlighted former Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley, a former Republican who has endorsed Talarico. Whitley has moved left in recent cycles, backing Democrat Mike Collier against Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick in 2022, then supporting Kamala Harris for president and Democrat Colin Allred for U.S. Senate in 2024. Those races all ended in Republican victories, a point GOP strategists are using to argue that Talarico is drawing support from voters who had already moved away from GOP nominees.
Gruters tied the race to the broader culture-war arguments that Republicans often use in Texas, saying voters there will not embrace a Democrat he described as too far left on major issues. He also cast Republican nominee Ken Paxton as the stronger fit for a state he said votes on familiar conservative themes. Paxton has Trump’s endorsement and has framed his own campaign around turnout, fundraising and keeping the seat in Republican hands.
Paxton’s path is not without baggage. He survived a Texas impeachment effort about three years ago, and two Republican House members who voted to impeach him are now backing him. State Rep. Jeff Leach introduced Paxton at an Allen rally last week, and state Rep. Briscoe Cain introduced him at a Houston event. Republicans have also noted that Paxton unseated Sen. John Cornyn, a longtime incumbent, in the primary, a win they say showed his strength in statewide politics.
Paxton said on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures” that he has “outraised every Republican in the country,” while also urging help from the Senate Leadership Fund, Elon Musk and Trump’s MAGA Inc. money as he tries to build out his campaign for the fall. He said summer fundraising in Texas is difficult and argued that his opponent is benefiting from advertising that presents him as a moderate. Gruters, for his part, said the Republican race in Texas is not the national megabattle some Democrats hope to make it, and he predicted Paxton will hold the seat. For American voters, the fight shows how much Senate control can turn on whether a candidate can truly expand the map or just claim to.
Frequently asked questions
What is Joe Gruters saying about James Talarico’s outreach to Republicans?
Gruters called it a pipe dream and said nobody is going to follow Talarico. He argued the campaign is trying to create the appearance of Republican support rather than the real thing.
Why are Republicans challenging Talarico’s crossover claims?
They say some of the people presented as Republican supporters have long records of Democratic donations or primary voting. They also point to former Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley, who has recently backed Democrats.
How did the Talarico campaign respond?
The campaign said the women highlighted by Republicans have no official ties to the campaign. It also noted that they had previously voted for Gov. Greg Abbott, though one later said she would not do so again.
What role does Ken Paxton play in the race?
Paxton is the Republican nominee for the Texas Senate seat and has Trump’s endorsement. Gruters said he believes Paxton will win and keep the seat in Republican hands.
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