Democratic candidate James Talarico held an event Tuesday at The Loft in Midland. It was his first visit to the city since March and part of his "Clear Eyes, Full Hearts" tour, which is inspired by the show Friday Night Lights. The stop came in the final days before the Nov. 3 election.
Talarico told a packed crowd that he and his supporters are building a movement "to take back our state and take back our country." He said that if elected, he plans to create an anti-corruption bill. He listed proposals including overturning Citizens United, banning corporate PACs and super PACs, barring members of Congress from trading stocks, banning gerrymandering and passing term limits for politicians.
First-time voters Valeria Valdez and Iliana McEwn, 19 and 18, attended their first political event and said it was exciting to see so many people from Midland there. Victor Leal, former mayor of Muleshoe and a former Republican, spoke at the event and said he now supports Talarico as a Democrat. Edgar Sierra, who said he had not voted in 10 years, said he chose Talarico because of his integrity. Supporter Jason E. Fuller said Talarico has reached out to the small Black population in West Texas.
Talarico's next stops on the tour are Amarillo and Lubbock.