James Talarico Surges in Fundaising After Attempted Censorship

The Texas Democrat has been showered with donations after being blocked from television

The Trump administration’s efforts to silence Texas Rep. James Talarico backfired spectacularly last week as the Democratic Senate candidate said his campaign raised over $2.5 million in the 24 hours after his interview with Stephen Colbert on CBS was pulled from television.

It was the single-largest fundraising day of his campaign, and the video of the banned interview has already been viewed over 7 million times on YouTube — becoming one of the most-watched clips from “The Late Show” in over a year.

Colbert says the redaction was the result of CBS’s decision to comply in advance with Trump’s crackdown on late-night talk shows, in which the FCC has been selectively enforcing decades-old laws to stop the administration’s political opponents from appearing on broadcast television.

Critics have accused CBS of taking a right-wing pivot after Trump’s FCC approved a multi-billion-dollar merger between Skydance Media and Paramount late last year — the latter of which owns the network. Despite its accolades, “The Late Show” itself is now set for cancellation, which has been widely interpreted as a political favor to the Trump administration.

James Talarico called CBS’s newfound obedience a flagrant example of political corruption. “Corporate media executives are selling out the First Amendment to curry favor with corrupt politicians,” he told his supporters. “This is the most dangerous kind of cancel culture — the kind that comes from the top.”

Nevertheless, as demonstrated by his incredible fundraising haul, the FCC’s attacks on free speech have only cast a greater spotlight on Talarico’s candidacy and the increasing possibility of a blue wave in November.

Likewise, Every State is investing $10,000 in the Texas Senate race, because our organization strongly believes that independent voices like Talarico’s must remain uncensored.

And while the administration’s attempts at censorship are despicable, Republicans are right to be fearful of Talarico’s ascent. For over three decades, Republicans have firmly controlled both of Texas’s U.S. Senate seats — yet that could all change this fall.

Since Trump returned to office last January, Democrats have overperformed in special elections across the country — even becoming competitive in states and districts that were once considered Republican strongholds. Americans in every state are fed up with the president’s false promises and are desperate for real change, and Texas voters are no exception. If this momentum holds into November, this could be the year the Lone Star State finally turns blue.

Needless to say, there is no greater prize for Democrats than securing the U.S. Senate, and flipping Texas will be pivotal. On top of proving long-absent checks and balances on Trump’s power, a Democratic majority will be essential for conducting impeachment trials against wayward cabinet officials like Kristi Noem and Pam Bondi — or perhaps even the president himself.

Besides, this race isn’t just a referendum on Trump’s presidency — this year, Texans have the exciting opportunity to elect a visionary with a bold and progressive vision for the future of this country.

James Talarico is leading a campaign to fix politics in Washington, with a particular focus on dismantling the rigged economic system built and guarded by the greediest billionaires. In Congress, he will be an outspoken champion for working families, not lobbyists or shareholders.

“The biggest divide in this country is not left vs. right. It’s top vs. bottom,” Talarico says on his campaign website. “The people at the top work so hard to keep us angry and divided because our unity is a threat to their wealth and power, so their cable news networks and their social media algorithms tear us apart.”

From banning congressional stock trading to making the rich pay their fair share of taxes, Talarico is prepared to lead the charge to get big money out of politics — and that is exactly why the corporate media wants to silence him.

And as a devout Christian who hoped to become a preacher before entering politics, Talarico says his faith guides him to “love thy neighbor,” which includes the millions of legal immigrants and dreamers that make America whole.

Throughout his campaign, he has called on the Trump administration to end its cruel mass deportation campaign that has resulted in the deaths of several U.S. citizens and the unlawful detainment of thousands more.

“ICE is not doing immigration enforcement,” he said during a protest in January. “ICE is terrorizing communities all over this country, including here in Texas.”

However, unlike most of the Republicans in his place, Talarico strongly believes in preserving the separation of church and state that is essential to our democracy. During his tenure in the Texas legislature, for example, he was a fierce opponent of the state’s push to insert the Ten Commandments into public school classrooms.

“Instead of posting the Ten Commandments in every classroom, why don’t they post money is the root of all evil in every boardroom?” Talarico said of the proposal.

All in all, James Talarico is a complete progressive package that Texas Democrats are lucky to have on the ballot this March. Therefore, Every State believes he’s the best option to flip Texas and secure a Democratic majority in the U.S. Senate.

Of course, his main opponent in the Democratic primary, U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, is a strong candidate in her own right, and regardless of the outcome, Every State hopes she will continue her battle to deliver justice to Epstein’s victims. Americans need more people like Crockett and Talarico elected to public office, and it is a shame that voters can only choose between one or the other this election cycle.

In any case, Texans must be prepared to rally behind the eventual nominee this November. Democrats need every possible Senate seat if they are going to hold the Trump administration accountable for its crimes, and that takes a unity of purpose at the ballot box.

The FCC and CBS thought they could silence James Talarico, but with any luck, their attempted censorship of his interview might have just made him a household name for years to come.

For more important stories like this, follow us on Substack.