A resurfaced 2024 clip of Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico calling on Americans to look to Western Europe “for inspiration” has drawn sharp criticism, including a one-word response from Elon Musk on social media.
The remarks were made during an appearance on “The Weekend Show” with Anthony Davis, in which Talarico discussed the state of American democracy.
“We haven’t lived up to the promise of democracy,” Talarico said. “And of course, some countries are farther along than others, and sadly, here in America, where that experiment started, we are backsliding. And that troubles me greatly. But all of us still have so much more work to do to create a true democracy.”
“But you’re right. We should look, as Americans, to other countries, especially in Western Europe, for inspiration about how to continue with this experiment and ultimately reach that goal of a true democracy, of a beloved community.”
Musk responded to the resurfaced clip online with a single word, according to reports circulating the comment.
Asked about the remarks, Talarico campaign spokesperson JT Ennis told Fox News Digital: “James agrees with the majority of Texans that America is the greatest country in the world, Texas is the greatest state in the union, and we should always fight for a more perfect union.”
The exchange comes as Talarico, a Democrat running for U.S. Senate in Texas, faces continued scrutiny over past statements as the 2026 election approaches. Critics have argued his current positioning does not match previous comments, while his campaign has pushed back on characterizations of his remarks.
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