Democratic U.S. Senate nominee James Talarico is unveiling a veterans and military-specific policy platform Friday aimed at "stopping the new forever war in Iran," strengthening support for military families and increasing the resources available to veterans for health care, housing and employment.
"Texas has more veterans than any other state, and they deserve a senator who will fight for them the way they fight for us," Talarico said. "That's why I'm proud to announce my plan to support our brave men and women in uniform and bolster the systems they rely on when they return home."
The plan takes aim at the Trump Administration's mass layoffs in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), committing to a reversal of terminations of federal veteran employees along with reclassifying VA medical care as "mandatory spending," which would protect the funding from yearly Congressional budget fights.
Talarico, a 37-year-old state lawmaker from Austin who taught school in San Antonio before his career in politics also proposed automatically enrolling all eligible veterans in VA health care and opposing efforts to privatize the VA system.
Talarico's policy announcement, which he will unveil officially at a Friday event in Killeen, follows six months of U.S. conflict with Iran that has killed 18 service members, including Texas teenager U.S. Army Pvt. Isabella Gonzales.
Talarico pledged support for ending "forever wars," including in Iran, and reinforcing cooperation with NATO and the European Union.
Talarico faces Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in the landmark Senate race, and with polls showing the Democrat surging despite Republican dominance statewide, both candidates have been seeking to coax voters to turn out in force in November.
Paxton swung through San Antonio on Saturday, appearing with local conservative officials to urge voters to rally their friends and neighbors against sitting out this election. Paxton has not unveiled a veteran-specific platform yet in the Senate race.
In Talarico's platform, the candidate acknowledged the long wait times veterans face when they attempt to receive care, especially for mental health services, and proposed expanding both telemedicine options and the mental health workforce.
In light of VA cuts, Texas became the first state to pass a bill to independently track veteran suicides in 2025. More than 17 veterans a day die by suicide, and the suicide of U.S. Navy veteran Mark Miller in the parking lot of the Audie L. Murphy Memorial Veterans Hospital last year highlighted the need for reform.
The proposal also supports access to alternative pain medicines and non-drug therapies to combat opioid dependency, something that Miller's family hoped to draw attention to.
Convincing veteran voters
Texas is home to more than 1.5 million veterans, and the group could make up a key voting bloc heading into the November midterm elections. Earlier this year Democrat Arizona Senator Ruben Gallego held a veterans town hall in San Antonio, hoping to sway the traditionally reliable veteran GOP vote blue.
Texas has a growing veteran presence and houses key military installations, including the largest joint base in the Defense Department in San Antonio.
The state has not had a veteran — or a Democrat — in the U.S. Senate since 1993, though current Republican Sens. Ted Cruz and John Cornyn have both served on the Armed Services Committee at various points of their tenures.
While neither candidate is a veteran themselves, Paxton's father was in the U.S. Air Force.
The two candidates recently exchanged jabs after Talarico referred to Paxton as a "California transplant" in a speech.
"I couldn't be prouder to have grown up in a military family, traveling the nation," Paxton responded on social media. "I will always fight to ensure our 1.7 million military families and veterans have the support they deserve and that America never forgets the sacrifices they've made for our freedom."
/
Talarico's plan included several benefits that are popular with veterans.
He suggested reform for military-to-civilian transitional services, more oversight and funding for programs aimed at helping homeless veterans and expanding the VA Home Loan program.
It also proposed establishing GI Bill parity for National Guard and Reserve members — this would mean that every day they spend in uniform in a federal duty status would count toward the Post-9/11 GI Bill education benefits.
Several aspects of the proposal are aimed at supporting military families, such as passing the Love Lives On Act. This would allow Gold Star spouses of fallen service members to maintain benefits even if they remarry.
Currently TRICARE coverage for military children ends at age 21, or 23 if they are enrolled in college full-time. Talarico proposed raising this to 26, the age that civilian insurance plans cover dependents until.
Talarico will be joined by former service members at the Killeen event, including Vietnam War veteran Ray Bagby, who will speak in support of the candidate.
"When I look at James Talarico, I see someone dedicated to the ideals of duty, honor, and country," Bagby said in a statement ahead of the event.
The San Antonio Report's military and veterans coverage is supported by Report for America.
This story first appeared in the San Antonio Report.
