A newly surfaced video shows Democrat U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico welcoming a climate activist organization to Texas and praising its work, a position that appears at odds with his campaign’s efforts to portray him as a supporter of the state’s energy industry.

In a June 2024 video promoting the expansion of Third Act into Texas, Talarico thanked the group for coming to the Lone Star State and said he looked forward to working “alongside” the organization.

“I’ve been fighting climate change my entire career,” Talarico said. Calling Texas “the front line in the fight to save democracy and our planet,” he described Third Act’s efforts as “critical” and “historic” because “the stakes could not be higher.”

Third Act is a climate activist organization founded by environmentalist Bill McKibben that advocates moving away from oil and gas and has campaigned to pressure major financial institutions to stop financing new fossil fuel projects.

The description for the June 2024 event stated that participants were part of a movement to “increase the use of renewable energy” and “move away from fossil fuels.”

Third Act has also called for stopping the expansion of fossil fuel infrastructure, including oil and gas pipelines and liquefied natural gas terminals. Two weeks after Talarico’s appearance, Third Act Texas called for a transition to “100% renewable resources as soon as possible.”

The organization has drawn attention for staging “die-in” protests outside banks as part of campaigns targeting financing for fossil fuel projects. During one series of demonstrations in New York, Third Act boasted that more than 200 individuals affiliated with the organization were arrested.

The video offers a reminder of Talarico’s long record of climate activism as he campaigns statewide in Texas, where oil and natural gas remain major drivers of the economy.

As a member of the Texas House, Talarico authored legislation in 2021 that would have required Texas to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 90 percent below 1990 levels by 2050. He also filed legislation that would require climate change education in public schools.

Talarico’s climate advocacy has extended beyond legislation. During his 2022 re-election campaign, he announced that his campaign would temporarily adopt a vegan diet, describing the move as a response to what he called an “existential climate crisis.”

The resurfaced comments come as Talarico has sought to reassure voters that he supports Texas’ oil and gas industry.

Texas leads the nation in oil and gas employment, with more than 476,000 workers directly employed by the industry and millions of additional jobs supported by oil and natural gas activity. Industry estimates place the sector’s economic impact at hundreds of billions of dollars annually.

Talarico campaign spokesman JT Ennis disputed suggestions that the candidate opposes Texas energy production.

“James went to public schools funded by the oil and gas industry and knows how essential oil and gas is to Texas’ economy — it’s why he supports LNG production and backed legislation to strengthen it in the Texas legislature,” Ennis told Texas Scorecard. “James will always put the economic interests of Texans first — creating good jobs and lowering energy costs.”

Republicans, however, argue the video highlights a disconnect between Talarico’s current campaign messaging and his history of climate activism.

“James Talarico wants to force Texans to ride tandem bikes and go vegan, so he doesn’t feel like the only low T soy boy in the state,” RNC spokesman Zach Kraft told Texas Scorecard.

“The good news is that after his Green New Deal agenda is rejected by voters in November, Talarico will have plenty of free time to attend as many ‘die-ins’ and Greta Thunberg protests as his heart desires.”

Brandon Waltens, Texas Scorecard