A New Political Language

Letters from an American

James Tallerico's acceptance speech at the Texas Democratic Convention redefines Texas identity through history, inclusivity, and resistance to billionaire influence. He draws on figures like Barbara Jordan and Elijah St

Key takeaways

• Texas' strength lies in its diverse, resilient spirit

Transcript preview

A wide range of Democratic voices are in the process of shaping new political language to move their party and the country forward. James Tallerico is one of those new voices. On Friday, June 26th, he delivered his official acceptance speech for the Democratic nomination for U.S. senator from Texas at the Texas Democratic Convention on held in Corpus Christi. He began by invoking Barbara Jordan, a lawyer who in 1972 became the first black woman elected to Congress from Texas. A brilliant orator, Jordan delivered a statement on July 24th, 1974 from her seat on the House Judiciary Committee during President Richard Nixon's impeachment that is considered one of the most powerful speeches in US history. My faith in the Constitution is whole, it is complete, it is total," she said. And I am not going to sit here and be an idle spectator to the diminution, the subversion, the destruction of the Constitution. After tying himself to both the state's multicultural history and its defense of democracy through Jordan, Tallerico used a different vision from Jordan to make his case for the future. He recalled that Jordan's said, the soil and spirit of Texas, made her feel that she could accomplish whatever she wanted, that there are no limits. Tallerico used Jordan's embrace of the American dream to anchor his own new political vision for the 21st century. It is a vision that resonates beyond Texas. Tallerico rooted himself firmly in Texas's past and present. He emphasized that he is an 8th generation Texan, whose family arrived in the region when it was still Mexican. We may not always have been wealthy or well educated, he said, but we always served our state. His ancestor, Elijah Stapp, signed the Texas Declaration of Independence that declared the region free from Mexican President Antonio Lopez-de-Santa-anna risking everything, Talarico said, to defy a tyrant. That independence, that independence caused. Stap dearly. Four months after he signed the document, Santa Anna's army destroyed his home, leaving him, his wife, and their six children destitute. But Stap was undeterred. He wrote to his neighbors, any duty that my bodily strength would enable me to perform, either in