FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 04, 2026
June 04, 2026
Contact:
Tim Kauffman
202-374-6491
[email protected]
Largest Federal Employee Union Endorses James Talarico for U.S. Senate in Texas
Categories:
Senate, Congress, Election 2026
AFGE says Talarico’s record fighting for public servants and working people makes him the right choice for Texas
KILLEEN, Texas — The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) today announced its endorsement of State Rep. James Talarico for election to the U.S. Senate representing Texas in the 2026 elections. Talarico won the 2026 Democratic primary and is a proud member of the Texas State Employees Union. He has spent his career in the Texas House of Representatives fighting for fair wages, quality public schools, and the working people who keep government running. The general election is Nov. 3.
Talarico is an eighth-generation Texan, a former middle school teacher, and a Presbyterian seminarian who has served in the Texas House of Representatives since 2018. As vice chair of the Committee on Trade, Workforce, and Economic Development, he has passed bipartisan legislation on education and healthcare and built a 100% pro-labor voting record. His roots in public service and his record in Austin reflect the values AFGE members bring to work every day.
“James Talarico has shown up for working people in Texas. Whether it is on the picket line, at the bargaining table, or in the halls of the Texas legislature. He knows what it means to fight for the people who show up every day to serve the public, and AFGE’s members across Texas know they will have a real champion in the U.S. Senate,” AFGE District 10 National Vice President Cheryl Eliano said.
Talarico has backed working people with more than words. In the Texas House, he filed legislation to raise the state minimum wage to $15 per hour and pledged to champion a federal minimum wage increase in the U.S. Senate. In September, he walked the picket line with striking hotel workers in Houston, demanding better wages and working conditions. His record, his relationships, and his commitment to the workers who power this country make him the right choice for federal employees across the Lone Star State.
About 250,000 federal employees live in Texas – caring for veterans, supporting the military, and getting Social Security recipients their benefits accurately and on time.
AFGE is the largest federal employee union in the country, representing more than 820,000 federal and D.C. government workers in all functions of government. AFGE represents more than 136,000 federal employees in District 10, which includes Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Panama, and Texas.
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