Black civic group slams Talarico campaign over canceled event: 'Deeply disappointed'

James Talarico is facing frustration from black voting groups over a canceled event and questions about whether his $25 million pledge is real.

Republicans are trolling the losing Democratic Senate candidate

President Trump and Texas Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton have raised questions about the whereabouts of Democratic challenger James Talarico after the candidate was away from the campaign trail for nearly two weeks.

Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico is facing constant frustration from inside his political backyard after canceling an Oct. 5 event with a black citizen service group.

CT-AACES said the cancellation caused them "irreparable financial loss" and that Talarico's campaign has not tried to reschedule.

"While we understand the priority that Rep. Talarico's health requires, we are deeply disappointed by the campaign's decision to issue an outright cancellation rather than commit to a new date," the email said. "This was a missed opportunity for Rep. Talarico to directly address community cynicism and demonstrate the sincerity of his commitment to the African Americans of Central Texas."

The cancellation is the latest example of the tensions Talarico's campaign has faced with the black community. The impact of his efforts to reach black voters is also fully on the ground through a $25 million pledge to mobilize black voters.

TALARICO's disappearance has Democratic candidates worried, and Trump is asking them, "What's going on?"

Disappointment is not isolated CT-AACES.

"Black voters are not unified," the source warned. "I think there are pockets that do. There's a pocket that doesn't. And then there's a pocket that's not really sure," he said.

Asked about a $25 million investment to focus on door-knocking in black neighborhoods, in-person community events and engagement with black churches, the source said those investments have not yet been revealed.

"We haven't received the money, but we're told it's coming," he said of some of the accounts he's heard from the ground. "You know, we get one or two percent of what we were told. And then there's silence," he said.

David Marcus: How Crockett's Last Stand in Texas Could Undo Talarico

The comments came after Tallarico appeared on a Zoom Black Voters Coalition last week and made brief remarks about "using money ... time and trying to win" before his feed disappeared from the call without a public question-and-answer session. At a July town hall in Houston, where Talarico announced his $25 million pledge, nurse Candice Weber confronted him near the end of the program and asked him to answer questions. "Black people don't trust you because of that," he said, according to the Texas Tribune.

"And you can't win without us, so you stay here and answer our questions or suffer the consequences," Weber said.

During his primaries, Talarico also faced controversy over the black vote when reports surfaced that he had described rival candidate and former NFL quarterback Colin Allred as an "average black man." "She had the audacity to tell a black woman that she signed up to run against an average black man," Allred said in a video response sent to X.

"We need to say 'thank you.' Thank you for taking off the mask. Thank you for telling us who you really are and what you really think... keep my name out of your mouth while you're at it."

Talarico, for his part, called the statement a misrepresentation, stating that he "described Congressman Allard's campaign as mediocre" and that he would "never attack her on the basis of race."

Talarico also drew criticism from Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Texas, his main rival in the Senate primary, after she accused him of darkening her skin in campaign ads against her.

"And, you know, I've been asked about it a few times. And, you know, I look at this specifically as a civil rights attorney, and I see them sending out ads and tarring my skin. And I know exactly what that is, right?" Crockett said at a press conference.

The agent said he personally pressed Talarico at a June meeting to do more to support down-ballot Democrats after hearing from campaigns that donors had already used his Senate bids.

Americans support Trump's decision against live broadcast of Nidal Hasan's firing squad execution

Ilhan Omar's sister skips book tour event amid chaos after raid on DC Progressive's house.