The Jamie Kern Lima Show

James Talarico Reveals All (Pt 3): Fighting to Flip Tables + Take Texas, Christianity & the Country Back

41 min
May 25, 2026about 2 months ago
Listen to Episode
Summary

James Talarico, a Texas state representative and Presbyterian seminarian, discusses his U.S. Senate campaign as a Democrat in a heavily Republican state. He addresses controversies around his positions on abortion, immigration, and election integrity, while emphasizing his track record of bipartisan legislative success and his fight against Christian nationalism and political corruption.

Insights
  • Political messaging manipulation is widespread—Talarico's immigration stance was deliberately edited to remove context about border security, demonstrating how digital media distorts candidate positions
  • Faith-based political messaging can bridge partisan divides when grounded in scriptural interpretation rather than culture war framing; common ground exists on reducing abortions through public health approaches
  • Underdog political campaigns require overcoming systemic voter suppression through superior organization, legal preparation, and grassroots mobilization rather than relying on fair election conditions
  • Texas is shifting from solid red to purple state status based on demographic and electoral trends, creating opportunities for Democratic candidates in traditionally Republican strongholds
  • Personal character and integrity matter to voters across party lines, as evidenced by positive reactions to bipartisan moments like the Obama-Bush cough drop exchange
Trends
Misinformation and out-of-context editing as primary tools in political opposition campaigns, particularly targeting progressive candidatesFaith-based framing of progressive policy positions to appeal to religious voters traditionally aligned with conservative politicsVoter suppression as structural feature of Republican-controlled states requiring legal and organizational countermeasures from Democratic campaignsTexas demographic shift toward purple state status creating 2024-2028 window for Democratic Senate viabilityBipartisan nostalgia and desire for cross-party cooperation among voters fatigued by partisan extremismPublic health approach to abortion policy as potential common ground between pro-life and pro-choice advocatesDigital media literacy crisis affecting voter ability to distinguish authentic statements from manipulated contentGrassroots small-dollar fundraising as primary model for anti-establishment political campaignsChristian nationalism as emerging political issue mobilizing religious progressives and moderatesElection integrity concerns driving legal preparation and poll monitoring infrastructure in competitive races
Topics
Abortion Policy and Religious InterpretationImmigration Reform and Border SecurityElection Integrity and Voter SuppressionChristian Nationalism in American PoliticsPolitical Corruption and Campaign FinanceBipartisan Governance and Legislative CompromiseTexas Electoral CompetitivenessMisinformation and Political MessagingMaternal and Infant MortalityDemocratic Strategy in Red StatesFaith-Based Political MessagingVoter Registration and Polling AccessUnderdog Campaign StrategyPublic Health Approach to Social IssuesPolitical Character and Personal Integrity
People
James Talarico
Four-term Democratic state rep from Texas running for U.S. Senate; former middle school teacher and Presbyterian semi...
Jamie Kern Lima
Host of the podcast conducting the interview with Talarico; author of 'Worthy' self-help book
Michelle Obama
Referenced as previous guest on Jamie Kern Lima Show; discussed bipartisan moment with George Bush
Barack Obama
Named in rapid-fire word association segment; Talarico associates him with 'inspiration'
Pope Francis
Referenced as spiritual hero with opposing views on abortion rights; used as example of good-faith disagreement
Kacey Musgraves
Named as favorite Texas country artist; 'Mary Jane's Last Dance' cited as favorite song
Joe Rogan
Referenced for quote suggesting 'James Talarico for president'; Talarico appeared on his show
George Bush
Discussed as Texas governor who partnered with Democrat Bob Bullock; referenced in cough drop anecdote with Michelle ...
Bob Bullock
Referenced as Democratic partner to George Bush in bipartisan Texas governance
Walter Wink
Texas theologian; author of 'Engaging the Powers' cited as Talarico's favorite theological book
Larry McMurtry
Texas author of 'Lonesome Dove'; Talarico's favorite book used in court case against book banning
Quotes
"My life has shown me always bet on the underdog. Whether it was a single mom from Laredo who fought for her baby boy. Whether it was students on the west side of San Antonio who overcame poverty and injustice to succeed."
James TalaricoMid-episode
"I trust Texas women to make decisions about their own bodies, to shape their own destinies in consultation with their family members, their doctors, their faith leaders. I don't believe that's a place for government."
James TalaricoAbortion discussion
"Our southern border should be like our front porch. There should be a welcome mat and a lock on the door, meaning we can both welcome immigrants who want to come here and live the American dream, and we can keep out people who mean to do us harm."
James TalaricoImmigration discussion
"Blessed are you who weep. Grief can be fertile soil. Something new and beautiful can grow out of that grief. For anyone whose heart is breaking as they watch what's happening to our country, that means you still have a heart."
James TalaricoClosing remarks
"I feel it. I feel it in my bones that we're going to win this race and we're going to shock the world in the process."
James TalaricoOpening segment
Full Transcript
I feel it. I feel it in my bones that you're going to win this race. And we're going to shock the world in the process. Coming up in this incredible Part 3 episode with James Talarico. Do you believe in every ounce of your being you're going to win? I do. I believe we're going to win. Do you worry about our elections being fair? You are a massive underdog. Yes. In this fight, how will you, the underdog, triumph? My life has shown me always bet on the underdogs. Whether it was a single mom from Laredo who fought for her baby boy. Whether it was students on the west side of San Antonio who overcame poverty and injustice to succeed. Whether it's the bills I've been able to pass in the legislature as a Democrat, in a Republican dominated body to actually help working people, to help the underdogs in the state of Texas. My life has shown me that it's a good bet to bet on the underdog. James Talarico is arguably the hottest rising star in U.S. politics right now. Do you need to run for president? We need someone who's actually a good person. James Tarrico out of Texas. Oh, that guy's good, right? He's terrific. Really talented. A new poll has James Talarico leading. A little bit of hope is a dangerous thing. The eighth generation Texan former middle school teacher and Presbyterian seminarian is a four term Texas state rep described by many as a workhorse, not a show horse. After passing several bills in his state by bringing together both Democrats and Republicans alike. His current U.S. Senate campaign has catapulted him into the national spotlight and sparked national debate and outrage over his fight against Christian nationalism, his vow to end corruption in politics and exactly why his national media appearances seem to be causing so much commotion. I think people see so much online. They don't know what's real. They don't know what's fake. They don't know what's AI. They don't know what's taking completely out of context. And so, you know, it's a gift to have your actual word. What is your stance on immigration? Our southern border should be like our front porch. There should be a welcome mat and a lock on the door. Meaning we can both welcome immigrants who want to come here and live the American dream, who want to contribute to our economy, who want to contribute to our communities, make us richer and stronger as immigrants have always done throughout American history. And we can keep out people who mean to do us harm. I want to talk about your stance on abortion. As a Presbyterian seminarian, what are your views clearly and how have you arrived at them from a biblical perspective? I trust Texas women to make decisions about their own bodies, to shape their own destinies in consultation with their family members, their doctors, their faith leaders. I don't believe that's a place for government. That's a belief I hold, not despite my faith, but because of my faith. Jesus never talks about abortion. The Bible is silent on abortion. And when that happens with a social issue as important as abortion, we Christians have to take scripture as a whole, and we've got to try to make some kind of ethical determination. Words that come to mind when I say these names. Okay. Barack Obama, MLK, JFK, George Bush, Donald Trump, U White House, Ballroom and Bunker, November 2026, November 2028, Joe Rogan's quote, James Talerico for president. This conversation with James Talerico is so incredible. We made it into multiple parts. From where James stands on issues you care about most, to answering all your questions that you wrote in to ask him, he is truly opening up like never before. And one thing I can promise you, you'll leave part three feeling a renewed sense of hope and inspiration. You are not going to want to miss this incredible part three of our conversation with James Talerico, coming up in the next episode of the Jamie Kern-Lima show. I am so grateful for your love and loyalty to this show. And there's something I want to quickly share personally with you, from me to you. I have had Republicans, Democrats and independents on the show, ranging from Michelle Obama in a special three-part interview, to actor Kelsey Grammer sharing his supportive President Trump. The intention of the show is to be a force for good and a force for love. I have guests on that might vote differently, love differently, or pray differently from you and me, because I believe to heal humanity through love, we must first understand the humans who make it up. I am so happy you are here and no matter how you vote, you love or you pray, you belong here. And I have to say, I'm excited to share today's conversation with you. In fact, it is easily one of my favorite conversations in the history of the show. And really quick, if you could take two seconds and hit the subscribe button on the app you're listening or watching on, that way you'll be the very first to get inspirational episodes. Plus, you can get weekly inspiration into your inbox from me for free. Just join my newsletter at jamiekernleema.com. And thank you so much for sharing this episode with every single person that you might know who needs inspiration or hope today, because we are all in this life together. Welcome to the Jamie Kern Lehmish Show. Oprah, how have you defied the odds? Her show is unlike any I've ever done. A revelation. When you listen, it feels like a hug. First lady, Michelle Obama. Jamie, you are going so deep. I have never had this in-depth conversation. I've actually never said that out loud to anybody in an interview before. You know how to get there. Your brain and your spirit and your heart is like, wow. Melinda French Gates. When I look into Jamie's eyes, I feel like I am on some other cosmic level with her. Megan Duchess of Cessix. I wasn't expecting that one. I could see the light around her. She's infused with light. Maria Shriver. I never made that mistake again. Imagine overcoming self-doubt, learning to believe in yourself and trust yourself and know you are enough. Welcome to the Jamie Kern Lima Show. Jamie Kern Lima's her name. Everybody needs Jamie Kern Lima in their life. Jamie Kern Lima. Jamie, you're so inspiring. Jamie Kern Lima. I want to talk about your stance on abortion. Yeah. As a Presbyterian seminarian. Yeah. How have you arrived? Well, first of all, what are your views clearly? And how have you arrived at them from a biblical perspective? Yeah, it's a great question. And this is an issue that a lot of Christians struggle with. And that there's a lot of fears and passionate debate within our faith communities. So it's one I want to be very sensitive about. Because people of good faith can arrive at different moral conclusions. And I feel like we do not have the kind of tolerance for that disagreement right now within the church, within our politics. And it's corrosive. Because, you know, I think about someone like Pope Francis, I think about someone like Pope Leo. These are spiritual heroes of mine. Both of them are firmly opposed to abortion rights. So we disagree on that issue. I trust Texas women to make decisions about their own bodies to shape their own destinies in consultation with their family members, their doctors, their faith leaders. I don't believe that's a place for government. I don't believe it's a place for politicians. I don't believe it's a place for the state. And that is, that's a belief I hold, not despite my faith, but because of my faith. Jesus never talks about abortion. The Bible is silent on abortion. And when that happens with a social issue as important as abortion, we Christians have to take scripture as a whole. And we've got to try to make some kind of ethical determination. Right now in Texas, we have the most extreme abortion ban in the country. No exception for rape. No exception for incest. We have girls as young as 10 years old who are assaulted, who are raped, who are victims of incest, and who can access basic reproductive care, who aren't able to make the decision about whether or not they are going to create. And again, just my personal belief is that that, that we have to give women and girls the freedom to make this decision as moral agents, as our sisters in Christ. And I'm not saying that's an easy decision to come to, but that's where I've arrived. And, and I will say that I think me and Pope Francis, Pope Leo, any Christian who's against abortion rights, we can find common ground on reducing the number of abortions. We know how to do this. If we treat this issue as a public health issue, rather than as a culture war issue, we could reduce the number of unwanted or unplanned pregnancies and therefore reduce the number of abortions. We know that there are scientifically valid sex education, available contraception. These are all policies of universal healthcare, prenatal and maternal healthcare. We know that all of these policies work to reduce the number of abortions, and that should be a giant area of common ground, no matter where you land on, on the legality of abortion itself. And I'm not the person who maybe is voting and saying, you know, okay, this guy in office, I'm pretty sure he, I've seen his history, whether it's on a national level or state level. He's been indicted of all these crimes. He's lies all the time. He, you know, cuts healthcare. People are dying everywhere. But I'm pro-life. I'm going to vote on that one issue for him. Like I'm going to vote for this person who I know and believe is not a good person because of this one issue. Which I know a lot of people that are this way. They will look the other way on everything and anything, no matter how many people are, you know, literally dying from decisions, no matter if they feel someone is ethical or not, or lying through their teeth, no matter if they can even afford to pay for things, they'll vote on this one issue of pro-life versus pro-choice. What do you say to them? Well, again, if people are truly pro-life, they should be deeply disturbed by this abortion ban in Texas because we have women who are literally dying in emergency room parking lots because their doctors are too afraid to provide the basic healthcare they need. We have rape victims who are being forced to give birth to their rapist babies. We have politicians trying to control what public highways women are using to travel out of state to get the care they need and who are suffering because of it. So, and I will also say we've seen infant mortality and maternal mortality spike since this extreme abortion ban. So, we should always look to the fruits that a tree bears. And I think the fruits that are being borne by this policy in Texas are not good fruit. It's death, it's suffering, it's trauma. I think we have to take those fruits very seriously when evaluating is a policy actually promoting life more abundantly. And I would submit that if we treated abortion as a public health issue, if we focused on prevention, making sure that people have the knowledge and tools and resources to prevent an unplanned pregnancy, that we could actually reduce the number of abortions in this country together, whether you're against abortion rights or you're in favor of abortion rights. That's common ground that we can find. And so that would be my recommendation to anyone who, because this is an important issue, no matter where you fall on it. It's deeply emotional, it's deeply personal. But I actually think if we listen to each other a little more and find out that we have common ground here, if your goal is to reduce the number of abortions, you have a place in this campaign and we can work on that together, even if we may disagree on the legality question. So many of the things you've said have been taken out of context as happens to my political opponents as happens to every politician not in common in the world in politics. One sentence from a totally different conversation might be like highly edited till it's like you said something completely different than it was 15 years ago and it was whatever it might be. And then all of a sudden it's some controversy online. So I would love to ask you just to get them in your terms. I think people see so much online. They don't know what's real. They don't know what's fake. They don't know what's AI. They don't know what's taken completely out of context. And so, you know, it's a gift to have your actual word on the topic of immigration. Another big controversy is a statement that people are blaming on a pack they say is linked to Elon Musk that took a statement you made on immigration out of context. You often say our borders should be like our front door and have a welcome mat but also a lock on the door and they cut out the lock on the door part. So can you explain what you actually said and what is your stance on immigration? Yeah, I mean, this is another egregious example of how they manipulate comments to kind of paint me in the worst possible light. I've always said that our southern border should be like our front porch. There should be a welcome mat and a lock on the door, meaning we can both welcome immigrants who want to come here and live the American dream, who want to contribute to our economy, who want to contribute to our communities, make us richer and stronger as immigrants have always done throughout American history. And we can keep out people who mean to do us harm. We can know who's trying to come into our country. We can have an orderly sane immigration system that keeps us all safe that promotes public safety, just like you do at your at your own home, many people, especially in Texas, we're hospitable. We're the friendly state in Texas. We'll give a neighbor a you know the shirt off our back. But we also have a right to know who's coming into our home. We have a note we have a right to know why they're there and what their intentions are. We can be both hospitable and keep everybody safe at the same time. And the opponents don't want people to know that you can do both because they rely on using this issue of immigration to grandstand to say that, you know, it's a choice between public safety and welcoming immigrants. And the truth is, that has always been a false choice throughout American history. So we're going to do both secure the border and create a pathway to citizenship for the folks who have been here for a long time and who have been contributing to this country. When I opened up to questions people want to ask you most. Yeah. I got a lot of comments and a lot of the comments were, Tala Rico is going to win Texas if the elections are fair. Tala Rico is going to win if the elections are fair. Do you worry about our elections being fair? Yes. And I will say that we already have a lot of voter suppression in Texas. It's baked into our laws. I fought fiercely against many of those laws when they were coming through the legislature. And Texas is one of the hardest places to vote in the country. As a result, it's why we see such low voter turnout in our state compared to other states. We're going to have to overcome that. We're going to have to out organize, out work, out hustle that voter suppression if we're going to win. And I'm worried about suppression on top of those systems, shenanigans being played, intimidation at polling places. And it's why we have assembled a team of lawyers, including some volunteer lawyers, who are keeping a close eye on all of our elections. And if there's funny business, being able to respond quickly to preserve people's sacred God-given rights at the ballot box. But it's something we have to be on guard against. It means we're probably going to have to win by a little more than we would normally have to in a completely free and fair election. But I also don't want people to become defeatists about this. If you look back throughout American history, civil rights marchers, labor organizers, farm workers, they all were up against a rigged system. They all faced long odds and they outworked, they out hustled, they outsmarted the powers that be. And they were able to make progress and win. And so if they can do that, we can certainly do that against this stack deck. What can someone do right now who is a regular person? They are so busy, barely have time to even figure out what's for dinner. But what can they do right now to just be ahead of this and make sure that they're doing what they can do to make sure their vote counts? Yeah, I mean, making sure checking on your registration. If you are registered, making sure it's up to date. And if you're not registered, making sure you do that now because some states like Texas have deadlines where you have to register like a month in advance, which again is all part of the effort to make it harder to vote in our state. So check your registration and then check your requirements. What do you have to bring to the polls? What kind of ID do you have to bring? And where is your nearest polling location? Because again, polling locations have moved around. We saw that in the Democratic primary two months ago where in my home county of Williamson County, in my opponent's home county of Dallas County, we saw polling locations getting moved around last minute and people getting confused about where to go and not being able to vote because of that. And that's unacceptable in a democracy. So doing all this work on the front end of knowing where and when and how to vote, I think is really critical to ensuring that people are ready to overcome any voter suppression. We need to pause for a super brief break. And while we do take a moment to share this episode with every single person that you know who this could inspire, because this conversation can truly be the words and inspiration they need to hear today to keep going. To remember that they matter and to feel less alone and more enough, more connected, more inspired and more worthy. In life, you don't sort the level of your hopes and dreams. You stay stuck at the level of your self-worth. When you build your self-worth, you change your entire life. And that's exactly why I wrote my new book Worthy, How to Believe You Are Enough and Transform Your Life For You. If you have some self-doubt to destroy and a destiny to fulfill, Worthy is for you. In Worthy, you'll learn proven tools and simple steps that bring life-changing results, like how to get unstuck from the things holding you back, build unshakable self-love, unlearn the lies that lead to self-doubt and embrace the truths that wake up worthiness, overcome limiting beliefs and imposter syndrome, achieve your hopes and dreams by believing you are worthy of them and so much more. Are you ready to unleash your greatness and step into the person you were born to be? Imagine a life with zero self-doubt and unshakable self-worth. Get your copy of Worthy plus some amazing thank you bonus gifts for you at WorthyBook.com or the link in the show notes below. Imagine what you do if you fully believed in you. It's time to find out with Worthy. Who you spend time around is so important as energy is contagious and so is self-belief. I'd love to hang out with you even more, especially if you could use an extra dose of inspiration, which is exactly why I've created my free weekly newsletter that's also a love letter to you, delivered straight to your inbox each and every Tuesday morning from me. If you haven't signed up to make sure that you get it each week, just go to jameykernleema.com to make sure you're on the list and you'll get your one-on-one with Jamie weekly newsletter and get ready to believe in you. If you're tired of hearing the bad news every single day and need some inspiration, some tips, tools, joy, and love hitting your inbox, I'm your girl. Subscribe at jameykernleema.com or in the link in the show notes. Do you struggle with negative self-talk? Living with a constant mental narrative that you're not good enough is exhausting. I know because I spent most of my life in that habit. The words you say to yourself about yourself are so powerful and when you learn to take control over your self-talk, it's life-changing. And I wanted to give you a free resource that I created for you if this is something that could benefit your life. It's called Five Ways to Overcome Negative Self-Talk and Build Self-Love. And it's a free how-to guide to overcome that negative self-talk to build confidence and develop unshakable self-love so that you can dream big and keep going in the pursuit of your goals. Don't let self-sabotaging thoughts hinder your progress any longer. It's time to rewrite the script of your life when filled with self-love, resilience, and unwavering belief. If you're ready to take charge of your narrative, build unwavering confidence, and empower yourself to persevere on the path to your dreams, you can grab your free guide to stop overthinking and learn to trust yourself at jameykernleema.com. Or click the link in the show notes below. Now more of this incredible conversation together. One of my favorite quotes is what counts as not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog. It has been 38 years since a Democrat has won a U.S. Senate seat in Texas. A lot of people had hoped that an arororic would do it. He came close. You are a massive underdog in this fight. How will you, the underdog triumph? My life has shown me always bet on the underdog, whether it was a single mom from Laredo who fought for her baby boy, whether it was students on the west side of San Antonio who overcame poverty and injustice to succeed, whether it's the bills I've been able to pass in the legislature as a Democrat in a Republican dominated body to actually help working people to help the underdogs in the state of Texas. My life has shown me that it's a good bet to bet on the underdog. And I think in Texas over the last 15, 20 years we have seen statewide election results getting more competitive and more competitive. Texas is rapidly becoming a purple state and the data proves that. I think people are sick and tired of one-party rule in Texas and people are ready for a change this year in particular. There is a growing backlash to the extremism and the corruption in our government. It's going to be Democrats, independents and Republicans. It's going to be black, white, brown. It's going to be old and young. It's going to be rural, urban, suburban. It's going to be working people coming together across all these divisions to take power back for ourselves. And I know we're the underdogs in this fight, but I feel it. I feel it in my bones that we're going to win this race and we're going to shock the world in the process. Do you believe in every ounce of your being you're going to win? I do. I believe we're going to win. Rapid fire questions from what people wrote in. Oh, okay. Favorite few books. Favorite few books. Well, I actually, there was a whole court case involving my favorite book. They were trying to ban books in Texas and I used my favorite book to prove a point in a committee hearing. And that ended up being used by a judge, a federal judge to strike down the law. And that favorite book is Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry. Highly recommend Lonesome Dove. It captures so much about so much of what's beautiful and great about Texas. Texas has gotten a bad rap, given the extremism and the corruption people have seen coming out of our state. But if you want to know what Texas is all about, friendship and individualism and freedom and community, adventure, innovation, like all of that is in this one story. So Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry. And if I'm giving a second one, a theological book by another Texan, Walter Wink, Engaging the Powers, which is all about how Christians should interact with government, with political power and how we use nonviolence to achieve change. It's not a lightning round. I should go faster. No, you're good. Lonesome Dove, Engaging the Powers. Okay. Favorite movie or movies? Favorite movie is going to be a movie I grew up watching. Most Texas kids grew up watching, which is giant. James Dean, Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson, great movie, long movie. Back when movies had intermissions, which I think we should bring back. So yeah, check out Giant. Favorite. Filmed in Marfa, Marfa, Texas. Interesting. Favorite Texas barbecue? Louis Miller barbecue in Taylor, Texas. I mentioned Taylor, Texas was the last destination on my walk across my district. It's a great town and Louis Miller is not just the best barbecue in Taylor, but one of the best in Texas. And what do you order that when you go? What's your go to? I love, I think if you're going to visit Louis Miller, you got to get the brisket. But I love a pulled pork sandwich. I love sausage. But if you're going to go to Louis Miller's, make sure you get the brisket. Favorite song? Favorite song. Oh my gosh. You're a country music fan, right? Yeah, no, I love country music. I mean, one of my favorite Texas country artists just released a new album, Casey Musgraves. I think one of the best artists to come out of Texas in a long time. And I think the first song that I really became familiar with from her was Mary Gouroud. And it's just one of the most beautifully written songs. So I'll go ahead and say for right now, Mary Gouroud by Casey Musgraves. Words that come to mind when I say these names. Okay. Barack Obama. Inspiration. MLK. Profit. JFK. Moon. George Bush. Governor. So actually because I think for people who grew up in Texas, like that was how I knew George Bush was when he was governor before he ever became president. It was him as governor and Bob Bullock, a great Texas Democrat as Lieutenant Governor. And they were true partners and passed some pretty good policy in Texas. One of my favorite television moments of all time is when George Bush passed Michelle Obama, and I went to a cough drop. Everyone thought it was candy and they're friends. And I asked her about that when she was on this show and I just think that I felt like there was this collective sigh across our country. Because I think you can feel certain ways about certain issues, but you also just want to know that people at the top are good people. And I think people just saw that coming together and I think we need more of that in our politics. So, okay. Donald Trump. Can I do two words? Yeah. Broken promises. The new White House ballroom and bunker. Distractions. November 2026. Hope. November 2028. Hopefully more hope. Texas. Friendship. I think the word Texas comes from a Cato Native American word for friend. And so I always try to tell people this. What's interesting is that they, when they use that word, it wasn't for friends in their own tribe. It was for friends in different tribes. So like maybe a translation is the word ally. You know, someone who's different from you, you think about another country like, but as a friend across a line of difference. And that's just what makes Texas so special is like it's this big mashup of all these different people, all these different cultures, all these different ideas, all these different friends from different places coming together into a big mashup. And you see it in our food and our music and our, our technologies. I think that spirit of friendship is Texas at its best. And I think in 2026 we're going to rediscover our, our roots as the friendly state. United States of America. Freedom. Jesus. Love. Joe Rogan's quote, James Tolerico for president. Flattering. Yeah, I had a great time on that show and United know each other, but I think we really connected and hopefully I'll get a chance to go back on soon. What is the best way for anyone listening, no matter what party they're in, to get to know you, to get to know even more of what you stand for to join stuff they're talking about with you and your team and their volunteers. Where's the best place for them to find you? Probably our website's the best place to find all that. You'll find my background, my accomplishments. You'll find my policy proposals on a bunch of different issues. We have one of them, one of the most detailed policy pages of any Senate candidate in the country, which I'm very proud of. And you can also on there sign up to donate. Again, people giving small amounts of money is really how we're powering this thing. And you can send it to volunteer, whether you live in Texas. If you don't, there we're going to have virtual volunteer opportunities. This is not just a Texas race. It is a national race. The decisions I would make as a U.S. Senator wouldn't just impact Texas, but impact everyone across the country. So we want everyone involved in this important race and would love to have your help. The last thing I'll mention is something you can sign up for, but I know you and I both believe in the power of prayer. And even if you're not religious, I do think when you put out energy into the universe, it ripples and it has an effect. And so I would ask for people's prayers or if they're not religious, they're good vibes. Because I think it, I think it does matter and I think it does make a difference. And your website, JamesTalerico.com. That's right. JamesTalerico.com. Anything else you want to share in particular for the person who just wants to feel hope again? One, I want them to know that I also feel tempted by hopelessness. Like you open your phone, you turn on the TV, like you're just flooded with bad news from all over the country, all over the world. And like I feel hopelessness, I feel despair, like tugging at me, you know? And I don't think you'd be a human if you didn't feel that sometimes. And when I feel this kind of hopelessness tempting me, there's a verse of scripture that I return to and I would love to offer it to your listeners. Again, whether they're a Christian or not, whether they're religious or not. It's in the Gospel of Luke when Jesus says something really strange. He says, blessed are you who weep. Which is a strange thing to say because how can someone who's weeping be considered blessed? In our country, like in our culture, those two things are, you know, mutually exclusive, right? Being blessed means to be happy all the time and to give what you want. But I think what Jesus is trying to tell us from 2000 years ago is that grief can be fertile soil. Something new and beautiful can grow out of that grief. So for anyone who's listening, whose heart is breaking as they watch what's happening to our country and to our world, I would just say that means you still have a heart. And I would ask you to trust that, to protect that, because that is what's going to get us out of all this at the end of the day. So, blessed are you who weep. James Tallarico, thank you. Thank you for being here. Appreciate you. Remember, this episode's not just for you and me. Please share this with every single person that you know, because it can impact and change their life too. And if you love today's episode, please click the follow or subscribe button for the show on the app that you're listening to it on or watching it on. And if it added value to your life, if you could please give it a rating or review. I love a great five star. We'd be so, so grateful. And just share it with everyone you believe in. Maybe it's another person in your life who could benefit from it. Maybe someone you know is, you know, going through a tough time and needs some hope, needs some inspiration or just needs to feel less alone and more enough. Please share it with others online in your community who just might need the words and tools and lessons in this episode today. You never know whose life you're meant to change today by sharing this episode. And thank you so much for joining me before you go. I want to share some words with you that couldn't be more true. You right now, exactly as you are, are enough and fully worthy. You're worthy of your greatest hopes, of your wildest dreams and of all the unconditional love in the world. And it's an honor to welcome you to each and every episode of the Jamie Kern Lima show. Here, I hope you'll come as you are. Heal where you need, blossom what you choose, journey towards your calling and stay as long as you'd like. Because you belong here. You are worthy. You are loved. You are love. And I love you. And I cannot wait to join you on the next episode of the Jamie Kern Lima show. In life, you don't sort the level of your hopes and dreams. You stay stuck at the level of your self-worth. When you build your self-worth, you change your entire life. And that's exactly why I wrote my new book, Worthy. How to Believe You Are Enough and Transform Your Life for You. If you have some self-doubt to destroy and a destiny to fulfill, worthy is for you. In worthy, you'll learn proven tools and simple steps that bring life-changing results. Like how to get unstuck from the things holding you back. Build unshakable self-love. Unlearn the lies that lead to self-doubt and embrace the truths that wake up worthiness. Overcome limiting beliefs and imposter syndrome. Achieve your hopes and dreams by believing you are worthy of them and so much more. Are you ready to unleash your greatness and step into the person you were born to be? Imagine a life with zero self-doubt and unshakable self-worth. Get your copy of Worthy plus some amazing thank you bonus gifts for you at worthybook.com or the link in the show notes below. Imagine what you do if you fully believed in you. It's time to find out with Worthy. Who you spend time around is so important as energy is contagious and so is self-belief. And I'd love to hang out with you even more, especially if you could use an extra dose of inspiration. Which is exactly why I've created my free weekly newsletter that's also a love letter to you delivered straight to your inbox from me. If you haven't signed up to make sure that you get it each week, just go to jameycurlima.com to make sure you're on the list and you'll get your one-on-one with Jamie weekly newsletter and get ready to believe in you. If you're tired of hearing the bad news every single day and need some inspiration, some tips, tools, joy, and love hitting your inbox, I'm your girl. 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