By admin 
Six years before becoming Texas Democrats’ US Senate nominee, James Talarico described capitalism as an “oppressive system” during a Sierra Club event, grouping it with White supremacy and climate change and saying ending the ways all three worked together was necessary to begin the process of “dismantling them.”
Read more USPS whistleblower says system for Trump mail ballot rules could fail at multiple points
During the Sierra Club event from September 2020, Talarico participated in a virtual climate candidate forum in which he also compared Texas’ leadership in the oil and gas industry to “being the leader in cassette tapes in the 1980s,” declaring “that industry is not gonna last.”
The previously unreported comments come at a time when Talarico is trying to broaden his appeal as he’s faced attacks from Republicans trying to paint him as too progressive for Texas. Talarico has raised significantly more money than his GOP opponent Ken Paxton, but remains locked in a tight race against the scandal-plagued Texas attorney general.
Talarico’s remarks offer a window into the more explicitly progressive language he used before launching a statewide campaign built around affordability, faith and taking on wealthy interests.
At the time, Talarico was a 31-year-old state representative seeking reelection for a second term in the Texas House. The forum was hosted by the Austin chapter of the Sierra Club, which featured four other candidates running for the Texas House.
When asked what lawmakers could do to address the disproportionate effects of climate change on communities of color, Talarico thanked the moderator for the question and the young activists at the club for the way they had framed the issue.
“I am so thankful that you asked this question and also thankful that young activists have really drawn the link between climate change and White supremacy and capitalism in our country,” Talarico said. “And I think only ending the ways that all three of those oppressive systems work together are we gonna be able to begin the process of dismantling them.”
Later, when asked how he explains climate policy to voters in a district President Donald Trump carried in 2016, Talarico said he focused on values, jobs and whether Texas would lead the industries of the future — a future he suggested would not include oil and gas.
“We all know that Texas has been a leader in oil and gas, but in many ways that’s like being the leader in cassette tapes in the 1980s,” Talarico later said responding to another question. “That industry is not gonna last. And if we wanna ensure we have an economy that’s gonna work for our children and our children’s children, we gotta be ahead of the curve and Texas has to lead instead of follow on this issue.”
On his current campaign website, Talarico says Texas is “the energy leader of the world — and as senator, I will work tirelessly to ensure our state not only maintains, but extends that innovative leadership for generations to come so that Texans always have access to reliable, affordable energy.”
JT Ennis, a spokesperson for the campaign, told CNN that Talarico has already acknowledged some of his past comments “missed the mark” and attacked Paxton, Talarico’s opponent.
“James is a proud capitalist and agrees with the majority of Texans that racism, natural disasters, and a billionaire-controlled economy are all problems we need to address,” said Ennis in a statement. “James supports the oil and gas industry and believes in an all of the above energy strategy that protects Texas oil and gas jobs.”
Read more John Roberts often defers to Trump but not for the White House ballroom project
The campaign also said Talarico “has taken many votes” to support the oil and gas industry.
Considered one of the best fundraisers in the Democratic Party this cycle, Talarico has raised $72 million for his campaign compared to $16.8 million by Paxton. But polls show the two are in a dead heat for the general election and the prediction market Kalshi lists each candidate having a near 50% chance of winning.
Talarico’s history of progressive comments has drawn mocking attacks from Republicans. After a 2022 clip resurfaced in which Talarico suggested Americans reduce their meat consumption for climate reasons, his opponent Paxton called him “Tofu Talarico” and falsely labelled Talarico a “vegan.”
Talarico responded that as an “eighth-generation Texan,” he’s been “eating barbecue since before Ken Paxton’s first indictment” – referring to Paxton’s 2015 felony securities fraud indictment.
Previously, in 2021, Talarico suggested during a legislative session that modern science asserts there are six biological sexes – which spurred the nickname “Six-Gender Jimmy” from Paxton and his supporters.
Talarico has since addressed some of his past comments, calling them “cringey.” He said that he knows there are two sexes, men and women, and “a very small percentage of people who have these chromosomal abnormalities” who deserve to be treated with dignity and respect.
After the state’s massive power grid failure in 2021 killed hundreds of Texans, Talarico introduced a bill in the state house to combat climate change by requiring the state to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by at least 90 percent below 1990 levels by 2050 and at least 50 percent below 1990 levels by 2030. The bill died in committee.
Republicans have likened the bill to the progressive Green New Deal, which his campaign has denied.
Texas oil and gas production has increased since Talarico’s 2020 remarks and meets or exceeds pre-pandemic levels.
As a college student at the University of Texas at Austin in 2009, Talarico was part of a group of students who lobbied the city of Austin as a student government representative to divest from a coal-powered power plant.
At a press conference for the event, Talarico said the student government passed a resolution supporting the divestment. “It was a great success for environmentalists on campus, and also students who want to pay less for their energy bills and who want a sustainable economy and a green-collar economy when they come out of college.”
Read more Justice Department issues subpoena to Comey ally in new leak investigation