A poll of 500 Black Texans who voted in recent elections found that 79% of likely Black voters intend to vote for James Talarico, compared to 12% who supported Republican U.S. Senate nominee Ken Paxton.

Background

Talarico defeated U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett in the Democratic primary, which was marked by racial tensions. Despite this, the poll suggests that many Black voters are sticking with Talarico, with only 7% saying they are less likely to vote in November due to Crockett’s defeat.

The poll also found that 77% of recent Black voters believe the Democratic Party in Texas takes Black voters for granted, and 80% believe Crockett’s race influenced the decision by non-Black primary voters to support Talarico.

Outreach Efforts

Talarico has vowed to invest $25 million in Black voter outreach and has held events to listen to Black voters’ priorities. However, some critics, including state Rep. Jolanda Jones, have accused him of being unwilling to reach out to them directly and have a substantive conversation about earning the community’s support.

Original reporting: Texas Tribune (HLL/CB) — read the source article.