James Talarico, working to win over Black voters, endorsed by Omega Network for Action in US Senate race

Talarico secures the backing from an organization affiliated with Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., one of the nation’s top Black fraternities.

James Talarico, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in Texas, secured the endorsement of the Omega Network for Action, a national organization affiliated with the major Black fraternity, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., theGrio is first to report.

The endorsement is significant for Talarico, a state representative who is running in what is likely the most-watched U.S. Senate race in the country, and who political experts note can’t win without the support of Black voters in Texas.

The Omega Network for Action is an independent organization but is closely tied to Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., which was founded at Howard University in 1911 as the first international fraternal organization at an HBCU.

“As a proud member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., I’m standing with James Talarico because I know he will uplift the values and goals of the Omega Network for Action,” said Texas State Senator Royce West. “In the State Legislature, I’ve seen James in action fighting for ALL Texans, inclusive of its diverse and inclusive populace, when it comes to economic justice, civil rights, workforce development, and more. We’re united behind his campaign to take power back for working people.”

Talarico celebrated the endorsement, saying, “I’m honored to receive the endorsement of the Omega Network for Action.”

He continued, “ONFA’s work is vital to the ongoing fight for equity, economic empowerment, and civil rights — and I will fight alongside them to fix our broken political system so we can take power back for working people.”

The Omega Network for Action notes that it was created to help African Americans and others in underserved communities achieve their highest true social parity, economic self-reliance, power, and civil rights. Their endorsement of Talarico is among the first major Black organizations to back the Texas candidate’s campaign.

Since securing the Democratic nomination and defeating popular U.S. Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett, Talarico has been working to make inroads with Black voters in Texas, a state with the largest Black population of any state in the country, at 4 million.

The 37-year-old theologian, who has built a diverse coalition of supporters, including young voters, has campaigned with America’s first Black President, Barack Obama, delivered the commencement address at Paul Quinn College in Dallas, the oldest historically Black college in the state; visited another HBCU, Prairie View A&M University just outside Houston; and released a plan to combat maternal mortality, which disproportionately impacts Black women.

Texas has not elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate since 1988. Democratic strategist and former executive director of the Democratic Texas Party previously told theGrio that Talarico can’t pull off such a historic win without Black voters in Texas.

“There’s still work to do to close the gap, because diverse communities in Texas need to feel that he’s going to go in there and actually fight and use every tool possible to ensure that people are protected, people are safe, and people can thrive,” said Brown. “Whether that is working on affordability, or working on health care, or working against ICE detentions.”

He added, “I do believe there will be some people who would move in his direction, but I think that comes with political courting, I think that comes with engagement.”