James Talarico Acknowledges Frederick Haynes at Event, Calls for Moderation

James Talarico, a candidate for the U.S. Senate from Texas, recently commended Frederick Haynes III during a get-out-the-vote event. Haynes, a Democratic congressional candidate, has made controversial comparisons between President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement and the KKK. Talarico, while not formally endorsing Haynes, acknowledged his community contributions as part of his Clear Eyes Full Hearts tour.

Talarico seeks to present himself as a Democrat who can appeal to Texas’s Republican tendencies. This comes as he distances himself from past remarks criticized as too progressive. State Representative Talarico started his Senate campaign to unseat John Cornyn.

Frederick Haynes, a pastor at Friendship-West Baptist Church, has frequently addressed race in his political statements. During the event with Talarico, Haynes accused Trump’s use of Immigration and Customs Enforcement of terrorizing the country. “You transformed ICE into the new KKK,” he said. “It’s time to melt ICE. It’s time to abolish ICE.” Haynes runs to replace Rep. Jasmine Crockett in Texas’s 30th Congressional District.

Haynes has positioned his support for climate policy as opposition to “environmental racism.” He has criticized conservatives for exploiting fears about Black progress. In an October interview, Haynes stated, “They have used Black people and perceived Black progress as the boogeyman.” He argues the country is witnessing an erosion of civil rights achievements.

He previously commented on the death of Charlie Kirk, highlighting differences between his passing and assassinations of civil rights leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. Haynes characterized Kirk’s views as tied to white supremacy, contrasting them with historic civil rights figures.

Moreover, Haynes has advocated for reparations, arguing that America owes its Black community compensation for past injustices. “America, you owe us,” he declared at a San Francisco reparation event. “It’s been immoral. It’s been unjust. You gotta pay us what you owe us.” Talarico also supports reparations, aligning the issue with his faith and upbringing. He mentioned during a town hall, “Reparations, repairing past harms, is part of my faith tradition.”

As the campaign progresses, Talarico aims to show he can be a moderate candidate while addressing race and gender issues that differ from conservative positions. In late campaign statements, he said, “Our campaign has been able to show that you can be a more moderate, reasonable candidate and still be exciting.”