Stephen Colbert slams CBS for canceling James Talarico interview
After a lawyer for CBS recommended that the show not air an interview with Congressman James Talarico, host Stephen Colbert slammed the network.
Two names that are attracting attention in the Texas Democratic primary are State Representative James Talarico and U.S. Representative Jasmine Crockett.
The primary election to decide which of the two Democratic senators will run in next fall’s Senate election will be held on Tuesday, March 3, and voting has already begun. Mr. Talarico and Mr. Crockett gained national attention for their campaigns to energize Democratic voters at a time when their party’s support among supporters was waning.
Here’s what you need to know about the two Democrats and why their race matters to the country.
Who is Jasmine Crockett?
Mr. Crockett, 44, is an outspoken liberal lawmaker who has served 30 Texas delegates in Washington.th Congressional District from January 2023.
Mr. Crockett currently serves on the House Judiciary Committee and the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. She was also appointed co-chair of the Democratic Women’s Caucus’ Communications Task Force.
Crockett was born in St. Louis, Missouri, where his father was a teacher and preacher and his mother worked for the federal government, according to his campaign website.
She graduated from Rhodes College in 2003, studied law at Texas Southern University Thurgood Marshall School of Law, and then graduated from the University of Houston Law Center in 2006, according to Ballotpedia. After graduating from law school, he worked as a public defender and then founded a civil rights and criminal defense law firm.
She ran for and won a seat in the Texas State Legislature in 2021. That same year, he joined Democratic state legislators, including Talarico, in a quorum-breaking walkout to prevent Republicans from passing legislation tightening voting restrictions.
Mr. Crockett was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2022. She gained national fame for her witty responses on cable news and heated debates with Republican lawmakers such as Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Attorney General Pam Bondi during Congressional hearings.
A Dallas-area lawmaker has announced his bid for the Senate in December 2025, raising the bar for a party that hasn’t claimed a statewide victory in more than 35 years. If elected, he would be the Lone Star State’s first black senator.
But in the first week of early voting in Texas, which began on February 17, Democrats outnumbered Republicans.
“We hope and pray that this surge is for me, because our theory was that our candidacy is generally different so we can excite new people, especially in the general election,” Crockett said in a one-on-one interview with USA TODAY.
“So I’m not a traditional candidate.”
Who is James Talarico?
Talarico has also received national attention. At least not after making headlines for her appearance on “The Late Show” with Stephen Colbert.
Talarico was born in Round Rock, Texas, in 1989 to a single mother, according to his campaign website. When the father became abusive, the mother moved the children to a hotel and then an apartment, raising Talarico in east Austin.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in government from the University of Texas at Austin. He then began working with Teach for America as a sixth-grade language arts teacher at Rose Middle School on San Antonio’s west side, a historically Mexican-American community. Talarico later earned a master’s degree in education policy from Harvard University, according to Ballotpedia.
Talarico was first elected to the state House of Representatives in 2018 and gained attention as he walked throughout his district. Texas lawmakers prioritized education and promoted an “every student agenda.”
He has served on various committees related to education, housing, and economic development. He rose to national prominence in 2021 when he and other Democrats launched a quorum-breaking walkout over voting rights concerns. He also joined Democrats who fled the state in August 2025 to block Republican redistricting efforts.
The grandson of a preacher, Talarico is a devout Christian, and his faith has influenced his political career. He studied while serving as a state representative at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, where he earned a master’s degree in theology.
Mr. Colbert said Mr. Talarico made headlines last month when CBS lawyers canceled Mr. Colbert’s appearance on the Feb. 16 episode of “The Late Show.” Colbert said CBS indicated it was concerned about a new interpretation of the FCC’s “equal time rule,” which requires broadcast networks and radio stations to give equal time to all candidates in elections. The interview was later posted on the show’s YouTube channel, and Talarico posted it on social media, describing it as “an interview that Donald Trump wouldn’t want you to see.”
Democrats and Republicans enter into infighting over Texas primary
There are slight policy differences between the two campaigns, particularly over who is more progressive on health care, immigration and affordability. But either way, as Democrats look to challenge MAGA politics, both Crockett and Talarico are proposing new styles.
Republicans are waging their own battle for electability. Incumbent Congressman John Cornyn, 74, is considered a key figure in Lone Star State politics. But he faces two aggressive, populist-minded challengers in Congressman Wesley Hunt and Attorney General Ken Paxton. Trump has not endorsed any candidate in the Republican race.
voting has already started
Early voting began on February 17, with turnout on the Democratic side more than double the past two election cycles, according to reports. In-person voting will take place on Tuesday, March 3rd. Find your polling place here.
Contributors: Jay Stahl, Phillip M. Bailey, Adam Powell
