Texas Democrat James Talarico joins a widening US Senate race

Texas state Rep. James Talarico, a Democrat and former schoolteacher with a rising national profile, joined a widening race for U.S. Senate on Tuesday that already has two prominent challengers trying to unseat Republican Sen. John Cornyn. Talarico, 36, has gained popularity in the Texas House through viral social media posts challenging Republican-led policies such as private school vouchers and requiring the Ten Commandments in classrooms. It is the first statewide race for Talarico, who flipped a seat in Austin's booming suburbs in 2018.