Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico reportedly called capitalism an “oppressive system” that needed to be dismantled during a 2020 climate forum, according to footage resurfacing as he campaigns against Republican Ken Paxton.
CNN’s KFile uncovered the video Tuesday. It showed Talarico, who was then a 31-year-old state representative, participating in a virtual candidate forum hosted by the Austin chapter of the Sierra Club.
Talarico made the remarks after being asked about the impact climate change has on communities of color.
“I am so thankful that you asked this question and also thankful that young activists have really drawn the link between climate change and White supremacy and capitalism in our country,” Talarico said.
“And I think only ending the ways that all three of those oppressive systems work together are we gonna be able to begin the process of dismantling them,” he added.
Six years later, Talarico is the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate in Texas. His current campaign is focusing heavily on affordability, faith and confronting wealthy interests.
His campaign sought to distance the candidate from his previous language, arguing that the resurfaced comments should not define his present views.
“James is a proud capitalist and agrees with the majority of Texans that racism, natural disasters, and a billionaire-controlled economy are all problems we need to address,” campaign spokesman JT Ennis told CNN.
Ennis acknowledged that Talarico’s previous remarks “missed the mark.”
The spokesman also said Talarico now supports the oil and gas industry and backs an “all of the above energy strategy” intended to protect oil and gas jobs in Texas.
The newly uncovered video also captured Talarico offering a grim prediction about the future of the state’s oil and gas sector.
“We all know that Texas has been a leader in oil and gas, but in many ways that’s like being the leader in cassette tapes in the 1980s,” Talarico said.
“That industry is not gonna last,” he continued, arguing that Texas needed to get ahead of the changing energy economy to create opportunities for future generations.
Talarico’s rhetoric reflected language used by progressive climate activists during that period. The Democratic Socialists of America’s 2019 Green New Deal principles characterized the climate fight as a struggle against capitalism and called for a “revolutionary transformation” to replace the capitalist social order.
His comments came as activists on the progressive left increasingly sought to connect climate change with capitalism and racial inequality.
Talarico now promises to preserve Texas’ status as “the energy leader of the world.” His campaign has also pointed to numerous votes it says demonstrate his support for oil and gas.
The resurfaced footage nevertheless offers new material for Paxton and other Republicans seeking to characterize Talarico as substantially more progressive than the message presented by his current Senate campaign. The comments highlight a sharp contrast between Talarico’s 2020 rhetoric and his campaign’s current insistence that he is a proud supporter of capitalism and Texas energy jobs.