Here are the megadonors and dark money groups boosting James Talarico’s anti-billionaire Senate bid

James Talarico, the Democratic nominee for Texas’ U.S. Senate seat, has positioned his campaign around combating billionaire political influence, vowing to reject corporate PAC donations and push for stricter regulations on super PACs. However, his primary support comes from Lone Star Rising PAC, a super PAC that raised nearly $9 million between September and March, primarily funding ads promoting Talarico and attacking his opponent, U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett. The group’s treasurer, Alexander Clark, previously worked with Talarico in San Antonio through Teach for America. Super PACs like Lone Star Rising operate without donor contribution limits, allowing unlimited spending on campaigns, including advertising and voter mobilization, as long as they avoid direct coordination with candidates. While Talarico’s official campaign claims 97% of its over $40 million in fundraising comes from small-dollar donors, critics argue his reliance on billionaire-backed super PACs contradicts his anti-wealthy-elite rhetoric. Crockett accused him of hypocrisy in the March primary, stating he ‘welcomed and embraced’ billionaire and dark money support. Dark money spending has surged in Texas’ Senate race, benefiting both parties—Republican candidates Sen. John Cornyn and Attorney General Ken Paxton have also received millions from super PACs and nonprofits. Talarico’s campaign defends the arrangement, arguing that refusing to use all available political tools would leave his policies behind. Garry Jones, director of Lone Star Rising PAC, stated the group aligns with Talarico’s goals but acknowledged the necessity of leveraging the system’s rules to compete. The contradiction highlights broader Democratic struggles with campaign finance reform, as candidates like Talarico advocate for limiting billionaire influence while relying on similar funding structures. Talarico has previously stated he won’t ‘unilaterally disarm’ in the face of Republican strategies, framing his super PAC support as a pragmatic response to a broken political system. His campaign insists his focus remains on policy solutions to curb corporate and billionaire control over elections.