Farmers and ranchers in Texas faced a scare earlier this year when New World screwworm crossed the southern border. Now, with this threat fresh in their minds, Texans are heading to the poll to elect a new senator. Both candidates, Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) and State Representative James Talarico (D), have no agricultural background.
Texas has earned the nickname “the Beef State.” Cattle is its top commodity, bringing in $15.5 billion per year. Its ranches cover 125.5 million acres, according to the 2022 Census of Agriculture.
This race has drawn interest from the general public because of its unexpected competitiveness. Talarico shows real chance of winning this deep-red seat. The most recent poll puts him four points ahead of Paxton.
Meet State Rep. Talarico (D)
Talarico’s campaign website walks voters through his origin story; he was raised by his mom after she left the relationship with his abusive and alcoholic father. He grew up to be a middle school teacher and Presbyterian seminarian before becoming interested in politics.
Talarico has served four terms in the Texas State House. He flipped his district blue in 2018 and has been reelected every cycle since. Talarico’s platforms focus on education, child care and mental health. He believes America’s biggest divide is “top vs. bottom” and not “right vs. left.”
Meet Attorney General Ken Paxton (R)
Ken Paxton’s campaign website seems to take a page out of President Trump’s playbook. He calls his supporters “Paxton’s patriots.” He was endorsed by President Trump in May.
He has a longer career in politics than Talarico. Paxton served in the Texas House for a decade and then one term in the Senate. He was first elected the 51st Attorney General for Texas in 2014, then won reelection twice. His priorities over the years have been fighting “Big Tech,” protecting personal data, immigration and human trafficking.
A sour point in Paxton’s campaign has been the lack of support from incumbent Senator John Cornyn. Paxton beat him for the top spot in the GOP primary earlier this year. Cornyn has served in the Senate since 2002, so this is a big change for the Lone Star State.
Scandal has also followed Paxton’s time in office, which ABC breaks down here.
Q&A With Candidates
Ken Paxton’s campaign did not respond to multiple requests for comment. The answers below from State Rep. Talarico were answered via email. To listen to his conversation with Chip Flory on an episode of AgriTalk, click here.
What is your message for farmers/growers and ranchers? Why should they elect you to speak for them?
State Rep. Talarico: My family is from rural Texas — from the small towns and agricultural communities that built this great state. Every Texas community contributes to this state’s success. But not every community is being given the opportunity to share in it. Our leaders have turned their backs on rural Texas. Farmers and ranchers are feeling the burden of high diesel prices, expensive farm inputs, pests attacking our livestock, retaliatory tariffs on key agricultural exports, and limited access to labor due to a failed immigration policy. Even institutions like the farm credit system and crop insurance are threatened by years of hyperpartisanship and Congressional dysfunction. Farmers and ranchers are independent business owners — they aren’t looking for handouts. They just want the government to stop making their way of life harder and more expensive. I will always work with rural Texans to understand and respond to the issues affecting their communities and livelihoods. Throughout this campaign, I’ve partnered with Texas farmers and ranchers and the associations that represent them. Even if we come from different backgrounds or political parties, I will always fight for Texas farmers and ranchers. Texas has one of the most diverse agricultural industries in the country, and a strong farm economy is essential to healthy and prosperous rural communities in Texas.
What are your top three key agricultural policy positions?
State Rep. Talarico: First, I support repealing the disastrous new tariffs that have driven up the costs of fuel, fertilizer, feed, and everything in between. These tariffs have not only increased our costs at home but have also driven other countries to place retaliatory tariffs on us. Shortsighted trade policies in Washington have hurt our farmers and ranchers. That is unacceptable, and I will reverse it. Second, I would fully fund the USDA. The spread of the New World screwworm demonstrates how quickly a lapse in key federal programming can have dire consequences. Cuts to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) have jeopardized our ability to respond quickly to serious threats to Texas livestock and cost us all more on the back end. We need to get back to making real, not political, evaluations of where investments are needed. Finally, I would prioritize solving agriculture’s labor shortage. Too few farmworkers mean crops are going unharvested and not reaching consumers — reducing profits and increasing costs. I support expanding workforce development to train new workers in the industry, supporting farmer-to-farmer programs, and helping farmers and ranchers lower food costs for Americans by responsibly hiring migrant workers when they can’t find Americans to fill their jobs — including by simplifying the H-2A visa program application and ensuring strong labor standards on those visas so that employers do not game the system to displace American workers and suppress their wages.
What are two things you’d like to see change for American agriculture?
State Rep. Talarico: First, we must put a stop to the political games that are hurting our agriculture industry, set clear standards, and stop making Texas producers chase ever-changing regulations. We should empower farmers in this fight for affordability, but not continue to increase input costs. Political decisions like new tariffs, cuts to the USDA, and foreign beef imports make working in the agriculture industry unpredictable and challenging. We have to do better by our Texas farmers and ranchers, who produce the food and fiber that power economies in every corner of our state and country. The agriculture sector employs one out of every seven Texans — and they shouldn’t have to give up farms that their parents and grandparents tended because of our government’s failures. Second, I want to see an end to the Iran War, which is causing a sharp increase in the price of both diesel and fertilizer — essential inputs for farmers and ranchers. Large volumes of U.S. agricultural commodities use the Strait of Hormuz to send products around the world. If you cannot get goods to the market, farmers and ranchers do not get paid. This disastrous new war is making life harder for Texans without making us any safer.
What is your favorite connection to or story about agriculture and farming?
State Rep. Talarico: During this campaign, I’ve been honored to connect with farmers and ranchers across the state — from Amarillo to Longview to the Rio Grande Valley. Recently, I met with ranchers in South Texas and learned about their unique experiences and what they want to see from their next US Senator. As a former public school teacher, I know that, though we come from different backgrounds, we are all called to public service. Texas farmers and ranchers get up at dawn every day to do the essential work of producing the food and fiber our state relies on. The least our federal government can do is stop making their jobs harder. I will be a Senator who listens to and fights for our agricultural workers.
How do you, or will you, champion the agriculture producers in your constituency when faced with bi-partisan hurdles?
State Rep. Talarico: Congress should get back to doing its job — working together to pass the Farm Bill, update the USMCA, and pass a comprehensive immigration package that protects our borders while reducing farm labor shortages. I know how to find common ground because I’ve done it before. I’ve worked across the aisle to deliver real victories for Texans, including passing 60 bipartisan bills. I will ensure our farmers and ranchers have a seat at the table throughout the legislative process. I always make sure my work is grounded in partnership with community leaders on the front lines of the issue. During this campaign, I have met with groups like the Texas Farm Bureau and Texas Cattlefeeders to understand our agricultural producers. In the Senate, I will represent all Texans — not just those who voted for me and will keep seeking out this advice once in Congress. And I will continue making sure agricultural community leaders have a voice in our office.
