Texas Rep. James Talarico laughs at a question from the staff of the United States Hispanic Business Council regarding his favorite George Strait song at the In Dialogue Q&A on Sept. 30 in the PlainsCapital Bank Student Union Theater on the Edinburg campus. Tiana Meza / THE RIDER
On Wednesday, Texas Rep. James Talarico joined Javier Palomarez, president of the United States Hispanic Business Council, via Zoom for the In Dialogue Texas Senate Race Q&A regarding how his proposed policies will affect Hispanic businesses across the state.
Talarico spoke to UTRGV’s Edinburg campus about his desire to turn Texas purple, by changing the state’s policy on healthcare and immigration, and his plan for a “New American Dream” during the event at PlainsCapital Bank Student Union Theater.
“I think the best color for Texas is purple,” Talarico said. “I think she would look great in purple, because in a purple state you can have real competition, not one party rule.”
In the upcoming midterm election Nov. 3, Talarico will face off against his Republican opponent Attorney General Ken Paxton in the race for one of two seats in the senate.
Talarico’s In Dialogue conversation with the USHBC is the second in a two-part series. The first took place Sept. 28 in Fort Worth, which Paxton joined.
Due to an unforeseen illness, Talarico was not present at the event and instead joined via zoom.
Tiana Meza / THE RIDER
Palomarez asked Talarico to address his “New American Dream” plan which aims to bring down the cost of living for young people.
Talarico replied part of the plan is to streamline the process to build new homes and reduce the prices so Americans can own a home.
“I think at the federal level we can do so much to cut the red tape all over this country that’s preventing us from building millions of new homes, because this is the supply problem,” he said.
During the event, Talarico spoke of healthcare affordability and recounted his own personal encounters with expensive healthcare due to almost slipping into a coma for untreated Type 1 diabetes when he was 28, as well as the night prior as he was being treated for the flu at the Dallas Urgent Care.
Talarico expressed his sympathy for other diabetic Texans, acknowledging Texas as a state with the most uninsured people as many residents cannot afford insurance. He mentioned how many diabetics must ration or skip doses because they can not afford medicine.
“As the next U.S. Senator from Texas, I will fight tooth and nail to reverse those cuts to the [Affordable Care Act],” he said. “I will fight to cap the cost of more life-saving drugs, like epi pens and cancer drugs, and I will fight a public auction in our healthcare market that can compete with the giant for-profit health insurance companies.”
Palomarez questioned Talarico regarding his thoughts and possible actions toward immigration and border security, focusing mainly on how mass deportations has scared Texas’s 25% immigrant workforce from going to work.
Talarico replied by proposing a “pathway to citizenship” for hardworking immigrants who abide by American law and work here to have an opportunity to “come out of the shadows and rejoin us as full citizens.”
“Right now, we are told we have to choose between security and welcoming immigrants who are going to make us richer and stronger,” he said. “And we don’t have to choose between those things. We can do both if we have a comprehensive immigration form, where we secure the border, we have an orderly process. I think a Texas-based guest worker program could be a huge deal for the business in our state, and I think that’s exactly the kind of common sense approach that people want.”
Palomares said Paxton had the same sentiment of a “Texas-based worker program” during his own In Dialogue Q&A with the USHBC.
Talarico was asked to share if and when he is elected into the senate, will his door still be open to listen to the citizens of Texas’s concerns for the Hispanic community.
The Texas representative replied he will represent Texas, not as a democrat, but as an advocate for each and every Texas citizen.
“I’m going to Washington to represent all 31 million Texans. So, I will always put Texas above any political party, I think that’s what the people of the state deserve,” Talarico said.
To close off the Q&A, Talarico announced his excitement to return to the Rio Grande Valley in the upcoming month as it is near to Election Day.
“I’m gonna get over this flu, and get better, and I will be back down in the RGV very soon,” he said.
Early voting starts Monday and ends Oct. 30.
