James Talarico

Some people said it was for fire safety, but there are ways now that you can ensure fire safety while also building these complexes that only have one staircase.

And so we just repealed that part of the code, Republicans and Democrats.

It was my bill and we got it passed.

And now Texas is going to start building those more affordable complexes.

So I would focus laser-like on affordability, not just groceries, although repealing the Trump tax cuts has to be a top priority so we can bring down the cost of food, but also the big structural costs in the economy, housing, childcare, prescription drugs and healthcare.

I think that should be an urgent national priority.

if we're able to build a Senate majority for 2027.

Yeah, well, one, thank you, Scott, for always being a voice on this issue.

It's something that- Thank you.

I feel like we need to talk about as a country, and there are very few people in the public's eye that's focused on this, so I want to thank you for that.

Thank you.

And I care a lot about this as an educator.

As a relatively young man myself, I start to feel older and older on this campaign trail.

The legislature has given me gray hair.

I did some work with a program here in Central Texas, actually a branch of a national non-profit started by President Obama called My Brother's Keeper.

What we saw is that across demographic groups, young men were struggling in our schools, particularly in our high schools, and they weren't graduating at the rates that they should be.

This was black, white, brown.

It was young men of all colors really struggling academically.

And I actually partnered with a Republican colleague to try to get a commission set up in Texas where we could look at these issues that are affecting boys and young men and look at it comprehensively, not just academics and not just economics, but also social factors.

And I think we got to address the elephant in the room, which is big tech.