Democrat U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico has earned the endorsement of one of the state's oldest and most iconic daily newspapers.
The Austin American-Statesman announced its support for Talarico in an editorial Monday, Oct. 5, saying Talarico "has shown a seriousness of purpose and a regard for public service that this moment requires." The endorsement comes only weeks before the Nov. 3 General Election showdown between Talarico and Republican Ken Paxton.
The Statesman's Editorial Board cited several reasons for backing Talarico over Paxton, including his record of bipartisanship and his calls to get big money out of politics.
“Demonstrating his effectiveness across party lines, Talarico passed legislation to import cheaper medications from
Canada and help lower childcare costs by allowing cities and counties to grant property tax exemptions to those providers,” the Editorial Board wrote. “Texans deserve a principled advocate in the Senate. Talarico has called for curbing the influence of deep-pocketed donors, prohibiting stock trading by members of Congress and ending the partisan gerrymandering that has warped our political landscape.”
Additionally, the editorial noted Paxton's long trail of scandals as reasons for backing Talarico over the attorney general.
“We strongly recommend state Rep. James Talarico, whose public life has been rooted in service, over Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, whose trail of scandals should have ended his political career long ago," the Editorial Board wrote.
The latest endorsement marks Talarico's second from a major Texas newspaper — the Houston Chronicle announced its endorsement after Paxton became the Republican nominee for Texas' U.S. Senate seat.
“A candidate’s views on healthcare policies and tax cuts matter," the Austin American-Statesman's Editorial Board wrote. "But the most important qualification for public office is the resolve to be of service to others — to use a position of power to improve life for constituents, not rig the system for the well-connected and enrich oneself along the way.”
“The challenges are too consequential for a representative who treats public office as a platform for personal or political gain," the editorial continued. "Talarico has shown a seriousness of purpose and a regard for public service that this moment requires. We recommend him to represent Texas in the U.S. Senate.”
Paxton has so far not secured an endorsement from a Texas newspaper.
Adam Powell covers government and politics for the El Paso Times and can be reached via email at apowell@elpasotimes.com.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Talarico earns major Texas newspaper backing over Paxton in US Senate race
