Texas state Rep. James Talarico, a Democrat and former schoolteacher with a rising national profile, joined a widening race for U.S. Senate on Tuesday that already has two prominent challengers trying to unseat Republican Sen. John Cornyn .

Talarico, 36, has gained popularity in the Texas House through viral social media posts challenging Republican-led policies such as private school vouchers and requiring the Ten Commandments in classrooms. It is the first statewide race for Talarico, who flipped a seat in Austin's booming suburbs in 2018.

He will seek the Democratic nomination in a field that includes former U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, who is running again after unsuccessfully challenging Republican Sen. Ted Cruz last year.

“I get the sense that there is a deep hunger across the po

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