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The James Talarico campaign says the Democratic Senate nominee in Texas is a "proud capitalist," even though he once described capitalism as an "oppressive system" that needed to be dismantled — and predicted that Texas’ fossil fuel industry was "not gonna last."
The remarks, made during a resurfaced 2020 Zoom call with Sierra Club activists, are drawing fresh scrutiny as Talarico faces Republican nominee and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in a Senate race that could help determine control of the chamber.
The comments were first reported by CNN early Tuesday and were seized on by Lone Star Liberty PAC, an outside political group aligned with Paxton, and Senate Leadership Fund, a leading super PAC backing Senate Republicans.
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Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico, left, is facing off with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, the GOP nominee, in a crucial Senate showdown in the 2026 midterm elections. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images; Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
On the call, Talarico is heard saying that the U.S. was facing a "multi-faceted threat" of a climate, economic, and social crisis.
After an activist asked how to address the harm suffered by communities of color by climate change, Talarico responded, "I’m 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."
"I think only understanding the ways that all three of those oppressive systems work together are we going to be able to begin the process of dismantling them."
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State Rep. James Talarico is the Democratic U.S. Senate nominee in Texas. (John Moore/Getty Images)
Talarico, during the same forum, forecast that Texas' fossil fuel industry wouldn't last.
"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. That industry is not gonna last," Talarico said.
Asked for comment, Talarico campaign spokesperson J.T. Ennis told Fox News Digital, "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."
"James has already said he missed the mark on some of his past statements, while Ken Paxton has refused to address his comments that the school shooting in Uvalde was ‘God’s plan’ and that Texas’ abortion ban is good for interstate commerce," Ennis added.
The Talarico campaign also spotlighted that the state lawmaker has "taken many votes" in support of the oil industry. And the campaign website states that he aims to make sure that Texas "not only maintains, but extends" its energy dominance.
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Ken Paxton, Texas attorney general and Republican US Senate nominee, arrives to speak during a runoff election night event in Plano, Texas, on Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (Antranik Tavitian/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The Paxton campaign and Republicans have repeatedly targeted Talarico for past comments he's made on social issues, including his prior suggestion that "God is nonbinary," that he "hates Christianity," and that "there are many more than two biological sexes; in fact, there are six."
Talarico, a 37-year-old former middle school teacher and Presbyterian seminarian, defeated progressive firebrand and vocal critic of President Donald Trump Rep. Jasmine Crockett in the March Democratic Senate primary.
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Paxton, a longtime Trump ally, captured the GOP nomination in late May, after defeating longtime Republican Sen. John Cornyn in a primary runoff election. The combustible clash between the two Texas titans shaped up as a fight between the Republican establishment and Trump's MAGA and America First supporters. Trump stayed neutral in the intra-party battle until giving Paxton an 11th-hour endorsement.
The general election face-off in deep-red Texas between Talarico and Paxton is one of roughly a dozen races that will likely decide if Republicans hold the Senate majority or if Democrats win back control of the chamber.
Democrats haven't won a Senate election in Texas in nearly four decades, but they view Paxton as vulnerable because of the slew of scandals and legal problems that have battered him over the past decade. And Paxton is dealing with a messy divorce, with his wife citing "biblical grounds" based on "recent discoveries" in filing last year to end their marriage.
Talarico enjoys a large fundraising advantage over Paxton.
Meanwhile, the most recent Fox News poll in the Texas Senate showdown, conducted in late July, indicated Talarico holding a slight 51%-48% edge over Paxton among registered voters.
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The survey suggested that Paxton had yet to fully unite Republicans. While virtually all Democrats supported Talarico (98%), slightly fewer Republicans were unified behind Paxton (89%).
Meanwhile, the most recent Fox News Power Rankings, released last month, shifted the Senate race in Texas from Lean Republican to toss-up.
Paul Steinhauser covers the national campaign trail from coast to coast for Fox News
