Should we dismantle capitalism?
A resurfaced video1 from a September 2020 virtual candidate forum hosted by the Austin chapter of the Sierra Club is drawing new attention to James Talarico’s views on capitalism, Texas energy, and the role of government.
Asked about climate change and its effects on communities of color, Talarico thanked “young activists” for drawing “the link between climate change and White supremacy and capitalism.” He called all three “oppressive systems” and said that only by “ending the ways that all three of those oppressive systems work together” could they “begin the process of dismantling them.”2
In the same forum he questioned the future of Texas oil and gas,3 comparing the state’s leadership in the industry to “being the leader in cassette tapes in the 1980s” and declaring, “That industry is not gonna last.” Or course, Texas oil and gas production has only increased since those remarks.
Those comments are receiving renewed scrutiny as Talarico runs for the U.S. Senate. His campaign now describes him as a “proud capitalist,” says he supports oil and gas and an all-of-the-above energy strategy, and has called some of the 2020 language off-target.4
The voting record is harder to rebrand. In 2019, Talarico voted against HJR 38,5 the constitutional amendment prohibiting a state income tax. Texans later approved it as Proposition 4 with about 74 percent of the vote.
In 2025, Talarico again voted against a constitutional tax protection, opposing HJR 2,6 which sought to prohibit estate, inheritance, and gift taxes, also known as “death taxes.” Voters approved that protection as Proposition 8 with about 72 percent of the vote.
Those votes fit a broader pattern. Talarico has a career “F” on the Fiscal Responsibility Index,7 including “F” grades in 2019, 2021, 2023, and 2025. His most recent score in ’25 was 30 percent.
Taken together, the 2020 remarks and the later tax votes give taxpayers more than a campaign slogan to evaluate. The current description of his views stands in stark contrast both to what he said in 2020 and to the votes he cast in the Texas House.
For Texans who want fiscal discipline in Austin and in the U.S. Capitol, the question is straightforward:
Will the next US senator work to protect taxpayers, restrain government growth, and preserve the free-market policies that have made Texas competitive? Or work to “dismantle” them?
Texans for Fiscal Responsibility relies on the support of private donors across the Lone Star State in order to promote fiscal responsibility and pro-taxpayer government in Texas. Please consider supporting our efforts! Thank you!
Get The Fiscal Note, our free weekly roll-up on all the current events that could impact your wallet. Subscribe today!
- https://x.com/LoneStar_PAC/status/2094742199170736395 ↩︎
- https://www.cnn.com/2026/09/01/politics/james-talarico-progressive-comments-kfile ↩︎
- https://www.foxnews.com/politics/texas-dems-proud-capitalist-pitch-collides-resurfaced-call-dismantle-capitalism ↩︎
- https://www.cnn.com/2026/09/01/politics/james-talarico-progressive-comments-kfile ↩︎
- https://index.texastaxpayers.com/votes/2019-house-vote-rv1243 ↩︎
- https://index.texastaxpayers.com/votes/2025-house-vote-rv714 ↩︎
- https://index.texastaxpayers.com/legislators/james-talarico/2025-index ↩︎
