James Talarico enlists Barack Obama to help win over black voters after contentious Texas primary

Talarico has struggled to shore up support among the Black community after a heated primary against Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas. Crockett won Black voters by a huge majority, but nevertheless lost the primary thanks to Talarico's support among white and Latino Democrats.

"James Talarico told me that he signed up to run against a mediocre Black man, not a formidable and intelligent black woman," Morgan Thompson, a political commentator and one-time supporter of Talarico's said in a video at the time.

"We've seen that play before. We're sick and tired of it," he said.

Talarico told the Times that Thompson's recollection of his comment was a "mischaracterization."

"In my praise of Congresswoman Crockett, I described Congressman Allred's method of campaigning as mediocre," he told the outlet in a statement. "I would never attack him on the basis of race."