Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico has seen a surge in campaign contributions and national attention after Stephen Colbert's interview with him was blocked by CBS. The network's lawyers reportedly prevented the state legislator from appearing on The Late Show, but the unaired interview posted on YouTube has amassed 5.2 million views.
Talarico's campaign announced it raised $2.5 million in the 24 hours following the controversy. 'This is a campaign of, by, and for the people,' Talarico said in a statement, adding that the incident represented 'the most dangerous kind of cancel culture.'
The Texas Senate primary is underway, with early voting beginning on Tuesday. Talarico is vying for the Democratic nomination against Representative Jasmine Crockett. The winner will face incumbent Republican Senator John Cornyn, who is battling Attorney General Ken Paxton in a bitter primary contest.
Polls close on March 3, and if no candidate secures a majority, a runoff will be held on May 26. Democrats see an opportunity to flip the seat, last won by a Democrat in 1988, particularly if Paxton becomes the nominee.
The race between Talarico and Crockett has grown acrimonious, with Crockett accusing Talarico's super PACs of running ads that darken her skin, calling them 'straight up racist.' Meanwhile, Colbert continues to feature other Senate candidates, including Jon Ossoff of Georgia, on his show.
