In a scathing video Monday, former U.S. Rep. Colin Allred ripped state Rep. James Talarico for allegedly calling him a 鈥渕ediocre Black man鈥� and urged voters to support U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, Talarico鈥檚 opponent in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate.
Allred鈥檚 comments came after a political content creator with the TikTok handle @morga_tt posted a alleging that, in a one-on-one conversation with Talarico on Jan. 12, the Austin Democrat told her he signed up to run against 鈥渁 mediocre Black man,鈥� referring to Allred, and 鈥渘ot a formidable, intelligent Black woman.鈥� Allred was Talarico鈥檚 main rival in the Senate primary until the former Dallas congressman in December as Crockett was preparing to enter the race.
Talarico鈥檚 campaign did not immediately provide comment. The content creator, who lists only her first name, Morgan, did not immediately respond to an email requesting comment.
Ali Zaidi, a former Texas House staffer for Talarico, called the allegation 鈥渂oth in substance and in form so out of norm for who Rep. Talarico is.鈥�
鈥淭he growing deluge of odd, conspiratorial, and untrue content surrounding [Talarico] is frankly bizarre,鈥� Zaidi . 鈥淒isappointing that some believe this is how a primary ought to be conducted.鈥�
The allegation, and Allred鈥檚 response, is the most searing blow yet to Talarico, a rising Democratic star, from a member of his own party, reflecting the intraparty tensions heating up in the intensely competitive primary contest.
In his video, Allred slammed Talarico for appearing to cloak his alleged remark beneath a compliment of Crockett, saying, 鈥淲e鈥檙e tired of folks using praise for Black women to mask criticism for Black men. That鈥檚 not good for our community.鈥� He also suggested Talarico was projecting insecurity about his own campaign when he purportedly called Allred 鈥渕ediocre.鈥� And he derided the emphasis Talarico, an aspiring Presbyterian minister, has placed on his Christian faith in his Senate campaign and political identity.
鈥淵ou are not saving religion for the Democratic Party or the left,鈥� Allred said. 鈥淲e already have Senator Reverend Dr. Raphael Warnock for that. We don鈥檛 need you. You鈥檙e not saying anything unique.鈥�
Allred ended his video with a message to young Black men who might one day want to become leaders of their communities.
鈥淗aters like this are going to show up,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hen we see them, we should say thank you. Thank you for taking off the mask. Thank you for telling us who you really are, what you really think, and goodbye.鈥�
Allred, the 2024 Democratic nominee against Sen. Ted Cruz, is now running for his old congressional seat and facing a tough primary against U.S. Rep. Julie Johnson, who has endorsed Talarico.
Morgan, the TikTok creator, she planned to support Talarico over Allred in the primary, until Crockett entered the race. In a lengthy , posted after her account of Talarico鈥檚 alleged remark went viral, she said the Austin Democrat made the comment during a one-on-one conversation at a campaign event in Plano.
During the conversation, which she described as 鈥渙ff the record,鈥� Morgan said she raised concerns to Talarico about his campaign sending out a fundraising pitch from veteran Democratic strategist James Carville, who wrote a in the New York Times titled 鈥淥ut With Woke. In With Rage,鈥� urging Democratic campaigns to focus on economic populism and drop 鈥減erformative woke politics.鈥�
That approach to politics, Morgan recounted telling Talarico, would leave Black communities behind.
鈥淲oke politics cannot be separated from Black people because it鈥檚 something that directly impacts our access to resources,鈥� she recalled saying, adding that she was worried Talarico would set his Black constituents aside if elected.
Talarico, she said, responded by saying he cared about his Black constituents and that was why his campaign was continuing to try to talk to Black voters despite polling suggesting that it鈥檇 be easier for him to pivot his focus to other groups.
The conversation then turned to last year鈥檚 efforts by prominent Texas Democrats to sort out which statewide races they should run for, Morgan said.
Allred and Talarico were among a coterie of four Democrats, along with Beto O鈥橰ourke and U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, who a statewide slate of candidates last year. That effort failed after most of them saw the U.S. Senate race as the best opportunity for a Democrat to win, given the likelihood of a bruising Republican Senate primary and the chance to face Attorney General Ken Paxton.
It was at this point, Morgan alleged, that Talarico told her, 鈥淟ook, I signed up to run against a mediocre Black man, not a formidable, intelligent Black woman.鈥�
In response, Allred on Monday blasted Talarico and endorsed Crockett.
鈥淕o vote for Jasmine Crockett,鈥� Allred said in a . 鈥淭his man should not be our nominee for United States Senate. I wasn鈥檛 going to get involved in this race. But listen, don鈥檛 come for me unless I send for you.鈥�
Crockett鈥檚 campaign declined to comment.
The most from mid-January put Crockett and Talarico in a dead heat ahead of the March 3 primary. While Talarico鈥檚 support has largely come from white and Latino voters, he has drawn meager support so far from Black Democratic voters. In the recent survey, 75% of Black likely primary voters said they supported Crockett.
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