Texas Dem says James Talarico needs to ‘pay’ blacks to get their vote

A Democrat in the Texas House of Representatives said the quiet part out loud as she openly suggested Senate candidate James Talarico needs to pay up if he wants to get the black vote.

Representative Jolanda Jones made the eyebrow-raising claim this week on the Roland Martin Unfiltered podcast while speaking about the Texas Democratic Convention. The Democrat claimed that Talarico, who is the nominee for the U.S. Senate in Texas, “controls the Democratic Party” because he is at the top of the ticket.

But Jones warned that if Talarico wants to beat his Republican opponent, Attorney General Ken Paxton, he needs black Democrat voters. And that will cost him, according to the bepectacled lawmaker.

Pay to Play
Straight from the horses mouth. https://t.co/ZXAlWL8pfG

— mikeehlert (@mikeehlert2) July 10, 2026

Jones argued that there are things the Texas Democratic Party can do “to get black people to roll with you,” but Talarico’s “refusal thus far to engage black electeds and the black infrastructure has put him at a disadvantage.”

“Talarico is giving out money to white GOTV organizations and white infrastructure and Hispanic infrastructure, but he’s not giving it to black infrastructure,” Jones continued, referring to “Get out the vote” efforts.

“I need to know if the Texas Democratic Party is going to pick our side,” the former city councilor said.

“But I have already told them, Roland, they need to pay for black infrastructure. They need to pay for media with you and not just CNN, you know, and other people like you,” she told the host, declaring that “it takes money to get the vote out.”

“So Talarico needs to pay for us to get our voters out. Only then does Talarico have a chance to win,” she said with total seriousness. “If he continues to
do what he has been doing, I believe Talarico is going to lose. So, we’ll see.”

Jones’ blunt assessment set off a wave of comments on social media, where X users marveled at the shameless assertion – and had plenty to say about her glasses.

She says the quiet part out loud. Votes are for sale.

— DNG (@2022CLT) July 10, 2026

We’re doing extorsion now? Pay for votes? Is this what the Democrat party is?

Of course it is. It’s what it’s always been.

— Unapologetic Patriot (@Curs3dCarl) July 10, 2026

So Black votes are for sale now? Rep. Jones is basically saying her community’s turnout comes with a price tag. That’s not voter outreach — that’s a shakedown. And she never even showed the actual funding numbers to prove her claim.

— Travis Markel (@DevilDogDoc1791) July 8, 2026

Does each race get their own infrastructure? I didn’t get one!

— Jim Mcsheffrey (@jimmcs2013) July 10, 2026

The virus known as the liberal left is consuming itself, and I’m here for it.

— DarkPoolFeline (@PoolFeline) July 10, 2026

The glasses are huge and she still can’t see the truth!

— Stan Vee (@stanvee2000) July 9, 2026

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