LONGVIEW, Texas — In a packed community center, hundreds of East Texans gathered to hear from Democratic U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico as he laid out his vision for the state and made his pitch to voters.

Just a week into his campaign, the state representative from Round Rock has already made stops in six cities, with Longview marking his latest push to connect with voters in Republican-leaning East Texas.

“I’ve learned in my life to always bet on the underdog,” Talarico told the crowd. A former English teacher and the son of a preacher, Talarico became the youngest member of the Texas Legislature in 2018 when he was elected at age 29.

Supporters in the audience said they were drawn to his focus on unity.

“You see this inclusiveness with him, and this positivity of loving your n

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