The Texas Democratic Senate primary race took a bizarre turn when a TikTok influencer claimed one of the candidates made a racist remark about former Rep. Colin Allred, who had dropped out of the race.
Morgan Thompson, a black political TikTok personality, dropped a bombshell allegation on Sunday. She claimed she had a private conversation with state Rep. James Talarico, who is running neck and neck with U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett for the Democratic Party’s nomination.
During the conversation, Talarico insulted Allred, allegedly telling her that he “signed up to run against a mediocre black man, not a formidable, intelligent black woman,” referring to Allred and Crockett respectively.
Thompson said she previously backed Talarico before Crockett entered the race in December. She had requested the meeting with Talarico to express her concerns over his association with Democratic strategist James Carville, who has told the party on several occasions that they need to abandon their reliance on woke identity politics.
“James Talarico told me Colin Allred was a ‘mediocre Black man’”
— Javan Gonzalez (@JavanGonzalez) February 2, 2026
Wow. pic.twitter.com/kEduZicnho
Thompson admitted she did not record the conversation, so she has no evidence that Talarico actually made the remarks, but she felt she needed to come forward anyway because of course she did.
Talarico’s campaign denied the allegations, calling Thompson’s remarks “a mischaracterization of a private conversation.” The candidate said he only criticized Allred’s “method of campaigning” as mediocre, not the man himself.
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"I would never attack him on the basis of race," Talarico stated. "As a Black man in America, Congressman Allred has had to work twice as hard to get where he is."
Official Statement from James Talarico on Allred Video pic.twitter.com/jcERVT2xV0
— JT Ennis (@jt_ennis) February 2, 2026
But the situation became even more hilarious when Allred clapped back at Talarico. The former NFL linebacker and civil rights attorney posted a video on Monday in which he addressed the alleged comments.
"I've heard that James Talarico had the temerity and the audacity to say to a Black woman that he had signed up to run against a mediocre Black man, meaning me, and not a formidable and intelligent Black woman, meaning Jasmine Crockett," Allred said in his video.
Then he offered some free advice: "If you want to compliment Black women, just do it. Just do it. Don't do it while also tearing down a Black man." He added, "We know what you're doing."
Allred concluded by telling his audience, “Go vote for Jasmine Crockett. This man should not be our nominee for United States Senate.”
Hey 👋🏽 @jamestalarico — don’t come for me unless I send for you. pic.twitter.com/ryVA6irNWY
— Colin Allred (@ColinAllredTX) February 2, 2026
Then, Crockett jumped into the fray, but without her usual bombastic rhetoric. In a statement released to The Hill, she said, “It is unfortunate that at the start of Black History Month, this is what we’re facing.”
She praised Allred for standing up for “all people who have been targeted and talked about in a demeaning way as our country continues to be divided.”
This controversy comes at a critical moment in the race. Recent polling shows Crockett leading Talarico 38 percent to 37 percent, which means either candidate could win the nomination. It might also explain why Thompson felt the need to go public with this story.
If it sounds like I suspect she might have concocted the whole narrative, that’s because it’s exactly what I believe. She claims the conversation happened on January 12 — why did she wait until now to say something?
Moreover, Talarico has actually supported Allred in the past. He does not have a history of making racist remarks nor does he seem stupid enough to tell a black woman that another black person is a “mediocre black man.”
If someone provides evidence that he actually made the comment, I’ll change my position. But we already know how this stuff works, don’t we?
Editor’s Note: The 2026 Midterms will determine the fate of President Trump’s America First agenda. Republicans must maintain control of both chambers of Congress.
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