Texas Sen.-elect James Talarico told a gathering of Democrats on Thursday that voters expect immediate results, urging his party to make President Donald Trump’s final two years in office the most productive in American history.
Talarico made history by becoming the first Democrat elected senator in Texas since 1988, entering office after a campaign against corruption where he framed himself as David against Elon Musk, NBC News reported. Musk spent more than $168 million to support Talarico’s Republican opponent, Ken Paxton.
“We went up against the richest man in the world, and we won,” Talarico said at the two-day What’s Next conference in Denver, an event organized by the group Majority Democrats.
Addressing the crowd, Talarico called on Democrats to put aside vitriol and distractions to provide immediate economic relief. Because Democrats won both chambers of Congress while Trump remains in the White House with his veto pen until 2029, Talarico emphasized the necessity of working across the aisle.
“The American people cannot wait two years for change. So we must work with President Trump,” Talarico said. “If President Trump wants the same plaques and portraits and busts as LBJ, we can help make that a reality.”
Talarico told attendees that his goal was not to turn the entire state of blue, expressing his belief that voters ultimately want a divided but balanced government. He also criticized politicians who pit communities against one another, arguing that those in power prefer Americans focus on the wrong one percent instead of growing billionaire wealth.
While describing a Democratic mandate the size of Texas, Talarico stressed that the legislative moment transcends party labels.
“We should make the final two years of his presidency the most productive of any presidency in American history, because this moment is so much bigger and so much more important than the red team or blue team,” Talarico said.
“It’s so much bigger than a party. We are tired of being pitted against each other. We’re tired of being told to hate each other. It’s been 10 years of this kind of politics.”
A central debate remains within the Democratic Party regarding whether to pursue an aggressive investigative agenda against Republicans or focus strictly on passing legislation. The White House has already signaled plans to fight congressional attempts to investigate the administration.
Talarico previously addressed this dual priority in an interview earlier this month.
“It is not an either-or choice,” Talarico told NBC News. “We need accountability and we need to deliver.”
Talarico spoke on Thursday at the two-day What’s Next conference organized by Majority Democrats.
Elon Musk spent more than $168 million to support Talarico’s Republican opponent, Ken Paxton.
No Democrat had won a U.S. Senate seat in Texas since 1988 before Talarico’s historic victory.
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