One day after Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton rolled out his own affordability-focused agenda in North Texas, Democratic U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico took the stage in Arlington with a similar message: Texans are paying too much to live.
The Austin state representative used the first stop of his "New American Dream" campaign tour Wednesday night to argue that Washington should make health care, housing and raising a family more affordable, while drawing a contrast with his Republican opponent.
"Unlike Ken Paxton, I will fight to put your hard-earned money where it belongs: in your pocket," Talarico said.
Before Talarico spoke, he was introduced by U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey, Tarrant County district attorney Democratic nominee Tiffany Burks, former Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley and Arlington Mayor Jim Ross.
Talarico blamed rising costs on what he called a rigged economy, describing "trickle-down economics" as a "false gospel." He called for raising the federal minimum wage, repealing what he referred to as the "Big Ugly Bill's" tax break for the wealthiest Americans, canceling medical debt, capping credit card interest rates, strengthening labor unions and reducing the national debt by closing tax loopholes used by billionaires.
"Today, we have an economy that rewards wealth instead of work," he said. "Adam Smith is rolling over in his grave."
While Talarico and Paxton have framed the affordability debate in starkly different terms, their policy agendas overlap in several areas.
Both candidates have made health care and child care costs central issues in the race and support expanding the child tax credit. Each has also proposed federal assistance for first-time homebuyers, though Paxton has specifically called for a $50,000 tax deduction.
Talarico also ventured into the increasingly contentious debate over artificial intelligence and the infrastructure supporting it. He pledged to crack down on data center development and proposed creating an "AI dividend" fund that would collect revenue from artificial intelligence companies and distribute payments to Americans "so every American citizen owns a piece of these AI companies."
He also called for "ending forever wars that send billions of our tax dollars overseas."
Paxton has not released a formal proposal addressing data centers. During an appearance on Patrick Bet-David's podcast in May, however, he said the United States should address concerns about facilities being built near residential neighborhoods while acknowledging the need to compete with China in artificial intelligence.
Affordability and data centers have also become prominent issues in the governor's race.
Gov. Greg Abbott has promised to support legislation aimed at lowering insurance costs, while Democratic challenger Gina Hinojosa has proposed sending $1,500 payments to every Texas household.
The candidates have also clashed over the state's rapid expansion of data centers. Hinojosa has blamed Abbott for encouraging their growth and has called for a moratorium on new construction. Abbott, meanwhile, has said he wants to limit data center development in rural neighborhoods and earlier this week directed state agencies to audit projects that are still under development.
The attention on affordability comes as the Senate race appears increasingly competitive. A survey released last month by the Barbara Jordan Public Policy Research Center at Texas Southern University found Talarico leading Paxton by two percentage points, making Paxton the only non-judicial statewide Republican candidate in Texas polling behind a Democratic opponent.
