# James Talarico Wins Texas Senate Race with 3 Billion Views

> James Talarico's campaign used social media to flip Texas, reaching 3 billion views and $56.5 million in broadcast ad spend.
- Title: James Talarico Wins Texas Senate Race with 3 Billion Views
- Summary: James Talarico's campaign used social media to flip Texas, reaching 3 billion views and $56.5 million in broadcast ad spend.
- Keywords: james talarico, texas senate, democratic campaign, tiktok views, broadcast advertising, political strategy, social media campaign, senate race, texas politics, political advertising, Adweek
- Source: Adweek — https://adweek.com/media/pastor-talarico-3-billion-views-and-56-million-on-broadcast-how-james-talaricos-team-flipped-texas
- Author: Trishla Ostwal
- Published: 2026-11-06T21:37:08+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: james talarico, texas senate, democratic campaign, tiktok views, broadcast advertising, political strategy, social media campaign, senate race, texas politics, political advertising
## James Talarico Wins Texas Senate Race
James Talarico became the first Democrat to win the U.S. Senate race in Texas since 1988, defeating Ken Paxton.
## 3 Billion Organic Views Since September 2025
The campaign generated over 3 billion organic views on social media platforms since launch in September 2025.
## Broadcast Ad Spend of $56.5 Million
The campaign allocated $56.5 million to broadcast advertising, followed by $8.3 million for CTV and $8 million for YouTube.
## Social Media Strategy Focus
Antonio Esparza, creative director, combined speechwriting and social media to create a storytelling approach that resonated with Texans.
## Storytelling for Virality
The campaign used biblical stories like Jesus flipping tables and David vs. Goliath to connect with audiences on TikTok and Instagram.
## Overcoming Texas Cynicism
The campaign addressed 40 years of cynicism in Texas by focusing on connection after 10 years of shallow politics.
## Faith-Based Messaging
James Talarico's faith as a Presbyterian seminarian helped reach non-political Christian and faithful Texans.
## Colbert Interview Virality
The Colbert interview went viral on YouTube with 14 million views, becoming the most viewed interview of the year for Jimmy Kimmel.
## Broadcast Strategy Efficiency
The campaign used cheaper broadcast rates and signaled outside groups to handle digital ad spend for cost efficiency.
## Jubilee Media Partnership
The campaign partnered with Jubilee Media for new formats like the CNN Town Hall, engaging young voters directly.
## AI-Generated Ads Criticized
Republicans used AI-generated ads that missed the point, leaving a bad taste in people's mouths.
## Key takeaway

James Talarico won Texas Senate race after campaign's social media strategy generated 3 billion views and $56.5 million in broadcast ad spend.