Black Texas voters favor Talarico, but frustration with Democrats runs high

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HOUSTON, TEXAS - JULY 19: Democratic U.S. Congressional candidate James Talarico addresses supporters at Kingdom Builders Center in Houston on Sunday, July 19, 2026. (Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images)

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Fewer than 10% of Black Texas voters said they are less likely to vote in November after James Talarico's defeat of U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett in the March 2026 Senate primary.

By the numbers:

The Texas Southern University poll surveyed 500 Black Texas voters who voted in recent elections. The poll comes after Talarico has faced scrutiny over his campaign's efforts to communicate and earn the vote of Black voters in the state. Last month, tensions rose at a town hall event in Houston that targeted Black voters.

The poll found that just 7% of Black Texans were less likely to show up in November because of Crockett's defeat. Though there has been some question about Talarico's ability to connect with Black Texans and win their support, a separate poll released Monday shows 79% of Black voters support the Austin Democrat, while just 12% support his Republican opponent, Attorney General Ken Paxton.

This support comes as Black voters feel the Democratic Party isn't concerned with Black voters.

The poll showed 77% of Black Texas voters agreed that Democrats take Black voters "for granted."

More than half of those polled (54%) said they felt Crockett's race played a very important role in non-Black voters choosing Talarico in the primary, while another 26% said it was somewhat important.

The Texas Southern poll was conducted between July 27 and Aug. 2 and surveyed 500 Black Texans who had voted in at least one election since 2022 and had a margin of error of +/- 4.38%.