Talarico Defended ‘Defund the Police’ Debate in 2020 Call
Texas Senate candidate James Talarico defended the ‘defund the police’ debate in a 2020 call, citing state spending cuts on education and health.
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Texas Democrat U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico defended the ‘defund the police’ debate in a 2020 call, calling it hypocritical given Texas’ long history of defunding public education and health services. The remarks were made during a call with Texas Rising, a progressive group that was explicitly calling for police defunding amid nationwide protests following the death of George Floyd.
Controversial Remarks and Campaign Response
Talarico, who was then a state representative, criticized the taboo status of the ‘defund the police’ slogan, noting that Texas had been defunding health services and public education for decades. He argued that voters in his swing district understood that armed officers should not respond to minor traffic accidents or mental-health crises.
His campaign denied any support for defunding the police, stating that Talarico strongly supports Texas law enforcement and first responders. However, CNN reported that Talarico’s record from 2019 through 2022 is more complex, citing repeated calls to limit police power and invest in community-based alternatives.
Historical Context and Recent Shifts
In 2020, after the death of Javier Ambler II in Austin, Talarico said the policing system was ‘deeply broken’ and must be replaced with ‘something new and something better.’ His campaign claimed the quote was taken out of context and referred to reality TV shows on policing.
At a 2022 graduation ceremony for incarcerated students, Talarico tied reduced police and prison spending to social programs, suggesting that redirecting funds from wars, prisons, and policing could make prisons obsolete.
The report follows a period in which Talarico has moderated his image, acknowledging that some of his 2020 comments ‘missed the mark.’ He has also pledged to use a Senate seat to fight for transgender children, marking a shift in his public stance.
Talarico faces Republican Ken Paxton (R-TX) in a race that is currently polling at a dead heat.
Source: Breitbart
