James Talarico The Interview: Fighting to Flip Tables + Take Texas, Christianity & the Country Back

Summary

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The Jamie Kern Lima Show

Episode: James Talarico The Interview: Fighting to Flip Tables + Take Texas, Christianity & the Country Back
Date: May 14, 2026
Host: Jamie Kern Lima
Guest: James Talarico

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Episode Overview

This episode features a candid and wide-ranging interview with James Talarico, the Texas state representative, seminarian, and current U.S. Senate candidate commanding national attention for his hope-driven campaign and outspoken opposition to corruption and Christian nationalism. Jamie Kern Lima delves deeply into Talarico’s motivations, faith, family, political philosophy, and the personal experiences that shaped him. Listeners gain rare insights into the man behind the movement, his views on building cross-partisan coalitions, reimagining the American dream, and leading with compassion and integrity—all delivered in an open, heartfelt conversation.

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Table of Contents

• Main Themes and Purpose
• Key Discussion Points & Insights (with Timestamps)
• Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments
• Timestamps for Important Segments
• Tone and Takeaways

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Main Themes and Purpose

• Restoring Hope & Bridging Divides: Talarico’s campaign is energizing people across political lines by focusing on hope, unity, and making government serve ordinary Americans again.
• Faith and Public Service: As a Presbyterian seminarian and the grandson of a Baptist preacher, Talarico discusses integrating the “love thy neighbor” ethic into policy, while forcefully opposing Christian nationalism.
• Fighting Corruption & Inequality: Central to his Senate run is ending billionaire and corporate influence in politics, reviving the American dream, and ensuring fairness regardless of background.
• Deep Personal Portrait: Jamie explores Talarico’s roots, inspirations, and how key life experiences (including a health crisis) shaped his worldview and leadership style.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights (with Timestamps)

1. The Rise of James Talarico & Why His Message Resonates

[08:30–12:15]

• Talarico describes how “people across the political spectrum are really hungry for a different kind of politics” that “makes us feel hopeful... excited about the future.”
• His movement transcends usual party lines, attracting first-time volunteers and building broad coalitions.
• Emphasizes making government work for everyday people, lowering costs, and fighting corruption.

Quote:
“We have 40,000 people who have signed up to volunteer for our campaign... This campaign is making people feel hopeful about the future, not just in our state, but across the country.”
—James Talarico [09:03]

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2. Grassroots Connections and Bipartisanship

[10:21–14:13]

• Talarico visits every corner of Texas, engaging directly even in Republican strongholds.
• Shares stories about voters whispering to him, “I’m not a Democrat,” yet joining the movement.
• Describes bringing Democrats and Republicans together to pass bills, rooted in lessons from his teaching career.

Quote:
“I had to build a big coalition... We ended up flipping that district on election night, shocking the political world in Texas.”
—James Talarico [12:15]

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3. Faith, Christianity, and Loving Your Neighbor

[14:13–20:24]

• Reveals influence of his preacher grandfather: “Christianity is a simple religion. Not an easy religion... Love God and love neighbor.”
• “Jesus is still communicating to us 2,000 years later; everyone I come across is the bearer of a sacred image.”
• Discusses the true challenge: “Love people who look differently, who pray differently, who vote differently. That’s who we’re called to love as ourselves.”

Quote:
“Anyone who’s read the New Testament quickly finds out those are the neighbors we’re specifically called to love... The challenge is to love people who are different and despised.”
—James Talarico [18:26]

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4. Standing Against Christian Nationalism

[23:34–26:31]

• Defines Christian nationalism as “the worship of power in the name of Christ.”
• Calls for reflection within the church about “our relationship with power” and condemns using state power to force religion on others.
• Advocates for a multi-racial, multi-cultural democracy.

Quote:
“Theocracy is the most dangerous form of government... our faith in Jesus should lead us away from theocracy, away from tyranny, away from Christian nationalism.”
—James Talarico [25:48]

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5. Personal Story: Diabetes Diagnosis & Policy Response

[26:31–30:04]

• Recounts nearly falling into a diabetic coma during his first campaign, highlighting the unaffordable cost of insulin.
• After winning office, passed a bill capping insulin co-pays at $25.

Quote:
“I left the ICU to pick up my first 30-day supply of insulin... cost me $684. And I didn’t have that kind of money. When I won that seat... we passed a bill that caps insulin co-pays.”
—James Talarico [28:09]

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6. Bridging Differences & Rejecting Labels

[33:11–36:51]

• Pushes back against political labels: “I detest this need to put us all in containers.”
• Identifies as a “Texas Democrat” in LBJ’s tradition, combining “practical politics with bold moral imagination.”

Quote:
“We have all these things inside us... There are some issues where I’m a little more conservative, some where I’m more progressive.”
—James Talarico [33:42]

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7. Family Influence & Personal Values

[38:53–48:14]

• Moving stories of his single mom’s strength, the “nursery in the closet,” and her pride voting for him for the first time.
• Touching tribute to his adoptive dad as his “model for what a man is”—humble, responsible, and community-oriented.
• Describes sibling support and the community rallying when his sister was in the NICU.

Quote:
“The luckiest thing that has ever happened to me in my life was meeting Mark Talarico... he adopted me, raised me as his own.”
—James Talarico [43:24]

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8. Openness about Relationships

[52:22–53:44]

• Addresses most-asked fan question: He is not single, has a longtime girlfriend, and is protective given the increased attacks and scrutiny.

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9. Handling Threats & Political Violence

[53:52–57:30]

• Reflects on public threats from opponents and extremists; responds with compassion:

“Jesus loves, Christian nationalism kills. You may pray for my death, Pastor, but I still love you. I love you more than you could ever hate me.” [Public statement referenced at 57:02]

• Stresses spiritual approach to politics (“democracy is a spiritual practice”).

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10. Fundraising: A People-Powered Movement

[65:35–71:39]

• Raised record-breaking amounts, relying almost entirely on small donors (“98% under $100”), especially teachers.
• Refuses corporate PAC money, calls it a movement of “working people giving $5, $10, $15 at a time.”

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11. Billionaires, Corruption & Reviving the American Dream

[72:33–82:36]

• Argues the divide is not left vs. right, but “top vs. bottom.”
• Critiques policy decisions benefiting billionaire mega-donors at the expense of ordinary Americans; calls for wealthy to “pay their fair share.”
• Advocates for an economy that “creates more millionaires and fewer trillionaires,” restoring broad-based prosperity.

Quote:
“Hoarding a trillion dollars to yourself... that is not love.”
—James Talarico [77:11]

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12. Public Safety and Real-Life Issues

[82:54–84:52]

• “Public safety is the most important thing government does.”
• Supports strong law enforcement and rehabilitation, seeing care for neighbors (even those who are offenders) as consistent with faith and justice.

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13. Direct Critique of Rivals & Political Corruption

[86:18–89:46]

• Unapologetically calls incumbent Senator John Cornyn “more corrupt than Ken Paxton.”
• Frames his race as against “the system” of billionaire mega-donors rather than any one person: “It’s two sides of the same corrupt coin... It is them as symptoms of a sick system.”

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14. Personal Life, Hobbies & Grounding Practices

[60:34–65:35]

• Stays grounded through time with family, hiking, reading physical books, and country music/barbecue.
• Strong desire to have children “one day,” inspired by love for his niece and nephew.

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15. The Calls for a Presidential Run

[89:46–90:04]

• Jamie brings up speculation about a White House bid (“Joe Rogan and many others are already calling for you to run for president”).
• Talarico is focused on Senate, but the question is left open for the future.

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Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• On Bipartisanship:
  “I grew up with Republicans... They loved me deeply, I loved them. I can't cancel them. I can't write them off because they're a part of my life.” [30:19]

• On Christian Nationalism:
  “Power that is not shared is also domination. And in a democracy, it’s all about sharing power.” [25:18]

• On Personal Adversity:
  “[My insulin] cost me $684... When I won that seat, we passed a bill that caps insulin co-pays at $25. That is what’s possible when you bring people together.” [28:09]

• On Family Roots:
  “I hit the parent lottery, the jackpot. I owe everything to both of them.” [45:59]

• On Corruption:
  “The real fight in this country is not left versus right, it’s top versus bottom.” [72:56]

• On Hope & Activism:
  “A little bit of hope is a dangerous thing.” [00:35]

• On the American Dream:
  “I want an economy that creates more millionaires and fewer trillionaires.” [77:11]

• On Compassion for Enemies:
  “You may pray for my death, Pastor, but I still love you. I love you more than you could ever hate me.” [57:02]

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 08:30 – First on-campaign motivations, message resonance
• 14:13 – Faith background, application in politics
• 23:34 – Defining and challenging Christian nationalism
• 26:31 – Diabetes crisis leading to personal healthcare advocacy
• 33:11 – Rejecting labels, “Texas Democrat” identity, LBJ legacy
• 38:53 – Family stories shaping values
• 52:22 – Personal life, relationships, and privacy
• 53:52 – Political violence and responding with compassion
• 65:35 – Fundraising, people-powered movement
• 72:33 – Billionaire influence, rebuilding the American dream
• 82:54 – Prioritizing public safety
• 86:18 – Critique of Cornyn and Paxton
• 89:46 – Calls for presidential run

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Tone and Takeaways

• Tone: Authentic, passionate, warm, hopeful, sometimes raw.
• Takeaways:
  • Talarico embodies a new breed of public servant—grounded in faith, open about flaws and struggles, yet fiercely determined to upend the status quo.
  • His campaign is energized by grassroots support, young people, and those hungry for genuine bipartisanship.
  • Jamie’s questioning highlights the deeply personal nature of Talarico’s political journey, making the episode resonate for listeners of all backgrounds.
  • Practical examples—insulin cost reform, coalition building, resisting cynicism—offer tangible hope and tools for civic engagement.

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Final Note

Listeners come away with not just policy positions, but a deep sense of who James Talarico is, the values driving him, and why his campaign is galvanizing unlikely allies. The conversation is a masterclass in compassionate politics, integrating faith, family, and a relentless drive to serve the common good.

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Transcript

[Jamie Kern Lima]

This is the worldwide premiere of James Calarico on the Jamie Kern Lima Show.

[James Talarico]

You're not going to believe this, but

[Jamie Kern Lima]

I've never heard you share that before. I've never heard you, never heard you talk about this. And that's a big thing to say. James Talarico is arguably the hottest rising star in US Politics right now.

[James Talarico]

You need to run for president. We need someone who's actually a good person. James Tirico out of Texas. Oh, that guy's good, right? He's terrific. Really talented.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

A new poll has James Talarico leading.

[James Talarico]

A little bit of hope is a dangerous thing.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

The eighth generation Texan, former middle school teacher and Presbyterian seminarian, is a four term Texas state rep, described by many as a workhorse, not a show horse. After passing several bills in his state by bringing together both Democrats and Republicans

[James Talarico]

alike, whether you're a little more progressive or a little more conservative, whether you like Democrats or like Republicans, we're all getting screwed. None of us can afford our housing. None of us can afford child care. None of us can afford our prescription drugs. None of us can afford to put our kids through college. The only minority destroying America is the billionaires. The biggest divide in our politics is not left versus right, it's top versus bottom.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

His current US Senate campaign has catapulted him into the national spotlight and sparked national debate and outrage over his fight against Christian nationalism.

[James Talarico]

I would define Christian nationalism as the worship of power in the name of Christ. Their candidate is whacked out. The insult to Jesus. I mean, such an insult. He's actually, I think he's grossly incompetent. Talarico. Talarico. The President of the United States just said that I insulted Jesus. You want to know what insults Jesus? Kicking the sick off their health care while cutting taxes for billionaires. You know what insults Jesus? Covering up the Epstein files and then refusing to prosecute a single person in them.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

His vow to end corruption in politics.

[James Talarico]

You have made a lot of money personally and you've enriched a lot of corporations with advertising by getting on here and spewing lies and conspiracy theories to folks who shut him up.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

And exactly why his national media appearances seem to be causing so much commotion.

[James Talarico]

It's not the first time you've caused some drama. FCC opening probe into the View after appearance by Talarico. Do you mean to cause trouble? I, I think that Donald Trump is worried that we're about to flip Texas,

[Jamie Kern Lima]

causing many to draw comparisons between Talarico and some of the most inspiring icons in our country's history, influencers doing side by side photos of you and jfk.

[James Talarico]

You've been drawing some pretty large crowds. We had a large crowd here.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

Some people talking about when they hear you speak, it reminds them of Obama in the 2004 DNC where they just felt hope ignited again. When you hear these type of comparisons, what do you think? And today, for the first time ever, he's opening up like never before. This is the Jamie Curran Lima show after all. So get ready to get to know the man behind the movement where no questions are off limits. I'm shocked to hear you say that. I think a lot of people would be surprised that you just said where I ask all the questions. You wrote in and want to know. You talk so much about your niece loving your niece, Baby Jane. And I've seen your girlfriend playing with your niece and you know how much you love kids. Do you want kids one day? What is your plan to reduce crime?

[James Talarico]

Ken Paxton's crimes are well known. I would say that John Cornyn is even more corrupt than Ken Paxton.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

You've been crushing it with fundraising. You've raised more than any U.S. senate candidate in U.S. history. Q1 of this year.

[James Talarico]

Yeah.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

And you're the only candidate not taking corporate pacman.

[James Talarico]

That's right.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

Is that sustainable long term? I have to ask you the question. Will you one day run for president? This is fascinating.

[James Talarico]

Yeah.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

You're born with that fight in you.

[James Talarico]

Yeah. Yeah. 2,000 years ago, when the powerful few at the top hurt those at the bottom, that barefoot rabbi didn't stay in his room and pray. He walked into the seat of power and flipped over the tables of injustice. To those who love this country, to those who love our neighbors, it's time to start flipping tables.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

So today, if you're ready to leave feeling inspired and if you're ready to ignite hope inside of you for the future of our country, even if it's for the first time or for the first time in a long time, this conversation is for you. I am so grateful for your love and loyalty to this show. And there's something I want to quickly share personally with you. From me to you. And I have had Republicans, Democrats and independents on this show ranging from Michelle Obama in a special three part interview to actor Kelsey Grammer sharing his support of President Trump. The intention of the show is to be a force for good and a force for love. I have guests on that might vote differently, love differently, or pray differently from you and me because I believe to heal humanity through love, we must first, understand the humans who make it up. I am so happy you are here and no matter how you vote, you love or you pray, you belong here. And I have to say I'm excited to share today's conversation with you. In fact, it is easily one of my favorite conversations in the history of the show. And really quick, if you could take two seconds and hit the subscribe button on the app you're listening or watching on that way you'll be the very first to get inspirational episodes. Plus, you can get weekly inspiration into your box from me for free. Just join my newsletter@jamiecarn lima.com and thank you so much for sharing this episode with every single person that you might know who needs inspiration or hope today. Because we are all in this life together.

[James Talarico]

Welcome to the Jamie Kern Lima Show.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

Oprah, how have you defied the odds?

[James Talarico]

Her show is unlike any I've ever done.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

A revelation.

[James Talarico]

When you listen, it feels like a hug.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

First Lady Michelle Obama. Jamie, you are going so deep.

[James Talarico]

I have never had this in depth conversation.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

I've actually never said that out loud

[James Talarico]

to anybody in an interview before. You know how to get there.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

Your brain and your spirit and your

[James Talarico]

heart is like wow.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

Melinda French Gates.

[James Talarico]

When I look into Jamie's eyes, I feel like I am on some other cosmic level with her.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

Megan, Duchess of Sussex. I wasn't expecting that one. I could see the light around her.

[James Talarico]

She's infused with light.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

Maria Shriver. I never made that mistake again. Imagine overcoming self doubt. Learning to believe in yourself and trust yourself and know you are enough. Welcome to the Jamie Kern Lima Show.

[James Talarico]

Jamie Kern Lima is her name. Everybody needs Jamie Kern Lima in their life.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

Jamie Kern Lima.

[James Talarico]

Jamie, you're so inspiring. Jamie Kern Lima.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

James Talarico. Welcome to the Jamie Kern Lima Show.

[James Talarico]

Thank you for having me. I'm. I'm really honored to be here.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

James, you are in the middle of one of the highest profile U.S. senate races in our country's history. You went from a middle school teacher to a four term Texas state rep. And so many of your stances on issues have gone viral, right? They're resonating with people of every party across the country, across the world. So you've turned these powerful movements into what are now becoming sort of movements powered by people all across the country. Why are you and your message resonating in such a huge way?

[James Talarico]

I feel like people across the political spectrum are really hungry for a different kind of politics. We've had a politics over the last 10 years that makes us feel angry, makes us feel afraid, but we haven't had a politics that makes us feel hopeful, that makes us. Makes us feel excited about the future. And I do feel like that's the kind of politics we're building in Texas in this campaign. And I just. I feel so lucky to be a part of really is a lot bigger than me at this point. We have 40,000 people who have signed up to volunteer for our campaign, people who are knocking doors and making phone calls and sending texts and postcards. And it really is just. It's so exciting to see what's happening on the ground in Texas and the. The way that this campaign is making people feel hopeful about the future, not just in our state, but across the country. And so I feel a lot of responsibility because there's a lot riding on all this, a lot of people in our state who desperately need a senator who's going to work for them and who's going to make their lives easier and better and less stressful. But I think if we do what we need to do, we're going to pull this off and we're going to shock everyone by winning the seat in Texas in November.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

It's wild. I have friends all across the country that are Republicans, that are Democrats, and it's almost like it doesn't matter. They're all excited about your campaign and talking about it even outside of Texas. But I have friends inside of Texas who are hardcore Republicans who are planning to vote for you. So do you think that's because of your messaging, of people are tired of maybe feeling like they're divided?

[James Talarico]

I do. I do. And I hear that from people at our events all over the state. You know, I've done rallies and town halls now in every corner of Texas, from Beaumont to El Paso, from Amarillo, up in the Panhandle, all the way down to Brownsville in the Rio Grande Valley. And everywhere we do events. You know, I stay till the very end. I shake every hand, I take every selfie, I answer every question. And so I get to hear from people one on one. And no matter where I go in the state, I have people who come up to me and whisper, I'm not a Democrat. Like they're in the witness protection program or something.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

Yeah.

[James Talarico]

And. And a lot of people say this is the first campaign they've ever gotten involved with or the first time they've ever. They've ever showed up at a political event, a political rally, or a town hall. And so I do feel like we are building a coalition that is bigger than the Democratic Party. It's bigger than the Republican Party. It's. It includes a lot of people who are participating for the first time and who desperately want to see a better politics and who want to see a senator who's actually going to fight for them and their families.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

You know, you have a really great life before this campaign, a four term state rep. You know, you can go hang out with people, eat some barbecue, do whatever you want to do, but you're running for one of the highest profile races. You've been catapulted into the national spotlight. So why are you running for such a huge office and taking this on? Because I'm imagining it's a whole lot to carry.

[James Talarico]

Yeah. Well, before I was ever in elected office, I was a school teacher. I taught 6th grade language arts at Rhodes Middle School. Shout out to Rhodes and, and the Wildcats. The west side of San Antonio is a beautiful, historic neighborhood. It's also one of the poorest zip codes in the whole state of Texas. And so I saw firsthand how decisions made in the halls of power, whether it's the halls of the state Capitol or the halls of our national Capitol, hurt students like the ones that I taught, hurt communities like the west side. And that's really what pushed me into, into policy and politics. I first ran for the State House in 2018. I was a Democrat running in a Trump district in a county that was so red it hadn't voted for a Democrat since Jimmy Carter for president. And so I, I had to build a big coalition. I had to bring a lot of people together across all these lines to win that seat. We ended up flipping that, that district on election night, shocking the political world in Texas. And now I'm in my fourth term in the state House, where I've built those big coalitions to pass major policy that helps people in our state. I've had to go toe to toe with some of the mega donors that control Texas politics. I've had to speak truth to power, and I've had to work across the aisle to pass bills that actually lower people's costs and help people get ahead in this economy. I think all of those fights that I've been involved with and leading at the state Capitol are now even more urgent at our nation's capital. The fight against corruption, the fight to lower costs, the fight to make government work for regular people. And I think I've developed a skill set in the trenches of the Texas legislature, which is not an easy place to work, certainly as a Democrat. And I want to take those Skills take those fights to where they're needed most on behalf of the people in my state.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

You're a Presbyterian seminarian, and your views on Christianity have really united a lot of people around the country. They've also caused a whole lot of shock and awe in some circles. Can you share about your faith, about where it comes from, and about the message that you're sharing that seems to be really. I mean, really creating a connection with so many people?

[James Talarico]

Well, you and I have talked about this a lot because I know we're both people of faith, and our faith is very important to both of us. And so the message that I'm trying to share, either on the campaign trail or from pulpits across the state when I'm preaching as a seminarian, it's the same message of love thy neighbor. And that's a very old message that comes from all the major world religions that has been championed by some of our heroes throughout American history. And I think every generation, we have to remind ourselves of the importance of loving our neighbors. And it feels like in this moment, when democracy is. Is in trouble both here and abroad, like, we have to figure out how to love our neighbors again, especially our neighbors who are different from us, our neighbors who disagree with us. We've got to find a way to love each other through those disagreements and those differences, otherwise this American experiment won't last. And so I'm. I'm trying to bring some of those teachings from our tradition into the political sphere, because I think they're needed now more than ever before.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

Can you talk about your granddad?

[James Talarico]

Yeah.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

And.

[James Talarico]

Yeah.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

Taught you.

[James Talarico]

Yeah.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

Importance of the two commandments.

[James Talarico]

Yeah. So my granddad was a Baptist preacher in South Texas, and I was. I was named after him. So when I was growing up, he was always Big Jimmy and I was Little Jimmy. That was at family gatherings, how they were able to tell us apart when. When one of us was getting called out for something. And he always told me that Christianity is a simple religion. Not an easy religion, he would always clarify, but a simple religion. Because Jesus gave us these two commandments to follow. Love God and love neighbor. And that second commandment is really what set me on the course I'm on now. The reason I signed up to be a public school teacher on the west side of San Antonio was that commitment to love my neighbor as myself. The reason I ran for the State House was to try to follow that commandment and to try to craft public policies that are going to help my neighbor. It's going to make my neighbor's life a little easier, a little less stressful. And I was able to pass those bills because I was able to love my colleagues, my neighbors in the state legislature. Even when we disagreed on other issues, I was. I always try to remember that everyone I come across is the expression of a divine source. Every person that I meet is the bearer of a sacred image. And I forget that all the time. We all forget it all the time. But the more that I can hold on to that and remember that, especially in my political work, I think the more effective I am on bringing people over who may not agree with me on a lot of other issues, the more I'm able to serve my constituents and make their lives better. It is. It is valuing each and every person and valuing their humanity. And that really stems from those teachings that my granddad pass on to me and that Jesus is still communicating to us 2,000 years later.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

And you talk about, you know, loving your neighbor. Cause a lot of people talk about, oh, yeah, you know, I love God, I love my neighbor. You talk about loving your neighbor. If you truly love your neighbor, it's your atheist neighbors, your agnostic neighbors, your Buddhist neighbors, your LGBTQ neighbors, all of your neighbors, your undocumented neighbors. Right? You talk about that a lot. And I think for a lot of people, they're like, oh, yeah, well.

[James Talarico]

And anyone who's read the New Testament quickly finds out that those are the neighbors were specifically called to love. It's our neighbors who are the most different from us. Because it's really easy to love your neighbor who looks like you, who prays like you, who votes like you, like the. That's not an. That's not a challenge. The challenge is to love people who. Who look differently, who pray differently, who vote differently. And. And when you read Jesus's parables, the hero is almost always someone who is on the outside, who's on the margins, who's different and despised. And that's who we're called to love as ourselves. And it's not easy, but I think if we figure out how to do that, we're going to save this American experiment. We're going to rebuild our communities that have been torn apart by forces much bigger than. Than. Than us as individuals. And we'll be able to get this. This country and this world back on track.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

So many people are searching for meaning, and they maybe feel like, huh, maybe I want faith in my life or something bigger than myself. But then they see these examples of people who maybe claim they're Christian, but their actions look a whole lot more like hate than they do love. They see politicians who run on Christian platforms, but then they're like, well, wait a minute, that doesn't seem like that feels congruent or aligned. And so then a lot of people actually stay away from faith because they're worried that they're gonna be disqualified or they're gonna be judged or they're gonna be, you know, expected to be divisive or to hate other people or to be exclusionary. Can you talk about something that I know is a huge passion of yours that I think a lot of people are maybe starting to be aware of? But can you talk about Christ and what people should know, what it is? How does it affect them?

[James Talarico]

So I would define Christian nationalism as the worship of power in the name of Christ.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

We need to pause for a super brief break and while we do, take a moment to share this episode with every single person that you know who this could inspire. Because this conversation can truly be the words and inspiration they need to hear today. To keep going, to remember that they matter, and to feel less alone and more enough, more connected, more inspired and more worthy. Imagine what would you do if you fully believed in you My weekly free inspirational newsletter is packed with tips and tools to help you find out. It's called One on One with Jamie and it's delivered right to your inbox each Tuesday morning. It's a love letter from me to you, from my soul to yours, and I hope it brings you the words and messages you need at just the right moment. Plus, when you're a part of my free inspirational newsletter community, you'll be the first to get behind the scenes content, inspirational messages and be the first to learn about upcoming events and more. It's the place to be and I sure hope you'll join me there. So if you're not on the list yet, you can sign up for free at jamiekernlima.com or click the link in the show notes below. And here's to becoming unstoppable together in life. You don't soar to the level of your hopes and dreams. You stay stuck at the level of your self worth. When you build your self worth, you change your entire life. And that's exactly why I wrote my new book, Worthy how to believe you are enough and transform your life for you. If you have some self doubt to destroy and a destiny to fulfill, Worthy is for you. In Worthy, you'll learn proven tools and simple steps that bring life changing results like how to get unstuck from the things holding you back. Build unshakable self love. Unlearn the lies that lead to self doubt and embrace the truths that wake up worthiness, overcome limiting beliefs and imposter syndrome. Achieve your hopes and dreams by believing you are worthy of them and so much more. Are you ready to unleash your greatness and step into the person you were born to be? Imagine a life with zero self doubt and unshakable self worth. Get your copy of Worthy plus some amazing thank you bonus gifts for [e-mail] or the link in the show notes below. Imagine what you'd do if you fully believed in you. It's time to find out with Worthy and now more of this incredible conversation together. Can you talk about Christian nationalism and what people should know, what it is? How does it affect them?

[James Talarico]

So I would define Christian nationalism as the worship of power in the name of Christ. And I define it really broadly so that we can see different forms of Christian nationalism rearing its head throughout the history of the church because our religion has always struggled with its relationship with power. It's something Jesus warns us about. One of the things the devil offers to Jesus out in the wilderness is political power. All the kingdoms of the world. And Jesus rejects it. Jesus tells his disciples on a regular basis to think of power differently, to think of power with rather than power over. You know, if you want to be a leader, you have to be a servant to others. That idea of servant leadership is redefining our relationship with power, specifically political power. And, and so that struggle is alive and well today. And so you see many of our fellow Christians, specifically those who serve an elected office, they are attempting to use their power as elected officials and the power of the state, the power of the government to force their understanding of Christianity down other people's throats specifically are Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, atheist, agnostic neighbors. And those are the exact neighbors who we are called to love as ourselves. And I don't know about you Jamie, but I don't want to anyone's religion forced down my throat. Certainly don't want it coming from a government, from a state. So why would I do that to anyone else? I think that's the basic test we have to apply. And so again, I think we have to have a real conversation within the church, within Christian communities about what is our, our relationship with power. Because in my mind as a Christian, power that is not shared is also domination. And in a democracy it's all about sharing power. We acknowledge that power is real and that it has consequences. And we commit to sharing that together as a nation, as communities. And I think that's where we have to strive. Theocracy, in my mind, is the most dangerous form of government, because the only thing worse than a tyrant is a tyrant who thinks they're on a mission from God. And that's why our faith in Jesus should lead us away from theocracy, away from tyranny, away from Christian nationalism, and toward a multiracial, multicultural democracy where we can all freely love God and fully love our neighbors.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

A lot of people don't know this, but during your first campaign, you almost fell into a diabetic coma. You almost died. What was it like to find out you were diabetic in your 20s?

[James Talarico]

So in my very first campaign, back in 2018, I was running for the State House, and I decided to walk the entire length of my district from Round Rock, Texas, to Taylor, Texas. And, well, I wanted to. You know, so much of politics now is filtered, sometimes literally, but also just. There's so many layers between me and the people that I seek to represent. There's the traditional media, there's social media, there's algorithms, platforms. There's staff, campaign staff and. And interviewers. There's. There's all these layers in between a person running for office and the people they seek to represent. And so I was trying to figure out, how could we tear down some of those filters? How could we break some of those walls in between me and. And the people in my community? And so I had this idea of just walking the length of the district on foot all in one day and holding three town halls along the way. And so it was 25 miles. Did it all in the Texas heat, did it all on foot. I wasn't worried about my ability to do the walk. I was 28 years old, perfectly healthy. I hike Big Bend every year, and so I wasn't worried about my ability to pull it off. Halfway through the walk, I started to feel fatigued and a little nauseous. I threw up a couple times along the walk.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

Oh, wow.

[James Talarico]

Somehow I finished the whole thing. Finished the last town hall. I figured I was just dehydrated, and so I went to. Went to bed. I thought I just needed a good night's sleep, and I ended up sleeping for 36 hours straight. My family got concerned. They took me to the er. Nurses checked my blood sugar. I don't think I'd ever had my blood sugar tested before. I wasn't even really sure what blood sugar was. And they told me that a normal blood sugar is 100 or lower. Mine was 900. So I was in a state of diabetic ketoacidosis which leads to coma and death without insulin. And so I was lucky to be alive. Very thankful for the doctors and nurses in Williamson county who, who brought me back to health. I left the ICU to go pick up my first 30 day supply of insulin, this new medicine that I now needed to live every day. And that 30 day supply of insulin cost me $684. And I didn't have that kind of money. I put it on a credit card and I learned that Texans like me with diabetes, particularly type 1 diabetes, are rationing or skipping doses because they can't afford their insulin, the medicine that they need. And so when I won that seat, I, I brought Democrats and Republicans together. I took on Big Pharma and their lobbyists and we passed a bill that caps insulin co pays in the state of Texas at 25 per prescription. So from 684 to 25. That is what's possible when you bring people together to take on the special interests that have corrupted our government at our expense. And that was just a personal example, but we're trying to do that across issue areas for Texans who desperately need a government that's going to work for them.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

The number of bills you've passed by bringing Democrats and Republicans together is why people call you workhorse, not show horse. Like, it's just, it's really, I wish every person in office, no matter their party, would be able to do that. Well, our country needs it and there's

[James Talarico]

no way in the Texas legislature for me to pass anything without Republican support. And that's a, it's, it's a, it's a blessing in disguise because it forces you to get outside of your comfort zone to work with folks who you may not always agree with and, and hopefully come to, to, to some kind of common ground. You know, I, I, I think it's because like I grew up with Republicans. Yeah, like every one of my teachers growing up was a card carrying Republican. They loved me deeply. I loved them. I have so many family members who vote Republican, so many friends who I grew up with who voted for Donald Trump in the last election. And I love these people. These people are such integral parts of my life and a part of me as a person. And so I can't cancel them. I can't write them off because they're a part of my life. And I just feel like that is a blessing because it Helps me to see my political opponents as human beings first. It allows me to connect with them and then allows us to find common ground and actually make some progress. And I feel like that's what our politics needs at every level in both political parties. And it's why competitive elections, why, why breaking one party rule in Texas is so important. Because one party rule always leads to extremism and corruption, whether it's the Republican Party in Texas or the Democratic Party elsewhere. You need that competition. So, so it forces lawmakers in both parties to work together, to talk to one another, to compromise. We don't have that in Texas right now because we've had one party rule for 30 years. So you see a lot of extremism, you see a lot of corruption in our state. And I think it's why people are hungry for a change.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

You know, I'm the same. I think a lot of people resonate with what you just said. I mean, my family, I have five families. I'm adopted. It's the whole story. Yeah, they're split. I mean, I have family members that are die hard Trump supporters. Doesn't matter what happens. I have family members that think those family members are nuts and they don't understand that for anything. And, you know, it's, I love, like, that's why on the show I've had Republicans, I've had Democrats, I've had Independents. I feel like in order for us to help heal humanity through love, we have to understand the humans that make it up. But for you, I want to ask you this because a lot of people want to know this question. You know, a lot of people wrote in questions for you. I'm so excited. We're going to dive into all the topics. Nothing's off limits, which I love. So thank you for that so much coming. Y' all get ready. But, you know, one of the big questions was, you know, where you're at politically, specifically. Can you share with us, can you share with us why you're a Democrat?

[James Talarico]

Yeah.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

And also where you would sort of place yourself on or, or, or classify yourself in terms of all the ways people want to classify you as centrist, a, you know, socialist. You know, you'll hear everything. So I would love to hear it in your words.

[James Talarico]

Yeah. Well, one, I just, I detest this, this need that we have in our politics to put us all in containers.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

Yes.

[James Talarico]

And it is strong. I've had so many people trying to figure out where to, how to label me.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

Yes.

[James Talarico]

And we do that to each other. And we do it as a shorthand, and I think it's part of what flattens us, because the honest truth is, and I'm sure your family members would agree, we have all these things inside of us, right? There are some issues where I'm a little more conservative, some issues where I'm a little moderate, some issues where I'm a little more progressive. And I always try to do what I think is best, even if it's bucking my own party to do it. And I've done that a bunch of times in the Texas legislature. And so, you know, I think about in. In our faith tradition, the. The. The tree that Adam and Eve ate from was the tree of knowledge, of good and evil. And it's that dualistic thinking, it's the trying to make things black or white, this or that, that gets us in so much trouble in our politics. And it's what I'm trying to avoid as much as I can in this campaign, because I think these are oftentimes false choices and allows us to. To. It allows us to look past some of the complexities in our politics and policy making. But if I was to give a label for myself, I would call myself a Texas Democrat. This seat that I'm running for is LYNDON Johnson's seat, LBJ's Senate seat. And LBJ, he's from the Texas hill country, Central Texas, which is where I'm from. He was a former teacher before he ran for office. So I have a lot of. I feel a lot of connection to LBJ and his legacy. And politically, he was able to marry two things. Bold, moral, political imagination. He was able to. To really see what was wrong in this country and. And have bold solutions for how to transform it, not nibble around the edges. But I mean, I'm talking about Medicare, Medicaid, Head Start and Title one, the War on Poverty, Civil Rights Act, Voting Rights Act. I mean, he. He went big. He was able to marry that bold imagination with practical politics, coalition building, reaching out to people on the other side, building a team that could actually pass these policies, implement them and sustain them. And that kind of. That marriage between pragmatic politics and bold moral imagination. I feel like that is the key to success for the Democratic Party moving forward. We have to hold both of those things together like LBJ did, like Dr. King did, because that's how they were able to pass the Great Society. And if we want to do that for our generation, if we want to have a. If we want to have bold action that's going to restructure this economy, restructure this political system so that it works for regular people. Again, we're going to need to have those two things together. And, and I think it's only appropriate that the person who holds LBJ's Senate seat brings those two things together in the U.S. senate.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

Holding LBJ's Senate seat makes me think about how right now, anybody who googles you, they will see comparisons all over online with people comparing you to jfk, people talking about how impactful some of your talks are and how moving they are. When you see there's influencers doing side by side photos of you and jfk, I mean, it's a whole wild world out there. When you hear those comparisons, some people talking about, when they hear you spend speak, it reminds them of Obama and the 2004 DNC, where they just felt hope ignited. Again, when you hear these type of comparisons, what do you think?

[James Talarico]

I think it just reveals a, a hunger for someone under the age of 80 to run for office. You know, I love our, I love our, our senior lawmakers and legislators, but I do think people, especially the Democratic Party, are hungry for a new generation to step up. And that's what we saw in, in the Kennedys, that's what we saw in President Obama was young people stepping up to lead. And I think that's so important right now because young people are able to see the world anew and dream of the way things ought to be. And I think we've really been lacking for that. I think we've been missing that inspiration and that vision that really only young candidates can provide. So I'm very flattered by any of those comparisons. I do think it reveals something a little deeper, which is that folks are ready for the next generation to step up.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

Well, we're going to dive into all the hot topics.

[James Talarico]

Okay.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

There's so much coming up, especially on some of your most widely debated issues. But one thing I love to do on this show is really dive into sort of the story behind the story and the who the person really, truly is. And I really want to get to know the man behind the movement.

[James Talarico]

Yeah.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

And I know for you, your mom has been an influential hero in your life.

[James Talarico]

Yeah. Yeah. I mean, it was just me and her right after I was born. She was a preacher's daughter from South Texas, from Laredo, right there on our, on our southern border. And she left home at 19. She, she, like me, has a, a rebellious streak. She, you know, has a problem with authority sometimes and has no problem speaking truth to power. And so when she was 19, you know, she, I think was ready to leave Loredo behind and strike out on her own and build her own life. And so she moved up to Austin, Texas, the big city. And that was where she met my birth father, who was a 21 year old high school dropout. He had a drinking problem and he sometimes would become abusive. And after I was born, he one night got physical again. And that night, I think my mother's rebellious streak and her love for me came together at just the right moment and she decided to leave. She packed all our stuff into her little Ford Escort. She drove me to the hotel where she worked. She begged the manager to let us stay in one of the rooms until we found this little apartment in East Austin. And, and it wasn't a big. It wasn't a big place. There wasn't room for like a separate nursery and. And so I slept in a crib in her closet. And she was so proud of that closet. She talks about how she decorated it with toys and pictures, like it looked like a nursery. That to me has just always been like a symbol of, of her love. The kind of love that single parents, that all parents around this, this country have for their kids. The lengths we will go to fight for the people that we love. So it's always just been, you know, it's her story, but it's always been such an inspiration to me and has really shaped my life and shaped my service.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

Well, I want to pull something out. A photo that your mom posted of her hugging you, giving you a kiss. And she wrote, I got to vote for Jimmy for the first time today. I hope no one heard me crying in the booth.

[James Talarico]

That's funny. Yes, I remember this. Yeah, this was in my first race in House District 50. And she, she came to vote with me. And, you know, I think it was a very emotional experience for both of us. That apartment that I was just telling you about is in my legislative district, so I, I represent that apartment in

[Jamie Kern Lima]

the one with the nursery in the closet.

[James Talarico]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. So, you know, I think her being able to vote for, vote for me to be her state rep and to fight for her was a, was a special moment, to say the least.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

When you see her in that photo and, and she's able to share with the world how proud she is of you, how does it make you feel?

[James Talarico]

All I can think about here is how much I rolled my eyes before she asked me to take this photo. Because we were out there, we took like a regular photo right side by side. Smiling. And then she was like, can I do one kissing you? And like, you know, there were other people around. My campaign team was around, and I'm gonna have my mom kiss me, but, you know, you can't say no. So I. I indulged her for this photo, and. And this is the one she decided to post, so. But no, this is such a. It was a really special moment. And. And, you know, I would not. Would not be here sitting for this interview, would not be a state representative, certainly wouldn't be running for the US Senate if it wasn't for her. So I owe everything to her. So she gets her silly picture.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

She gets her picture.

[James Talarico]

Yeah. That's the least I could do.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

We don't often hear about your adopted dad, Mark Talarico. When you're out there on the campaign trail, can you tell us about him and his role in your life?

[James Talarico]

Yeah. And thank you for asking, because, you know, my mom and her story, her personality, like, she. She gets a lot of attention. And not a lot of people ask about my adoptive dad because, you know, I. I've said before, the luckiest thing that has ever happened to me in my whole life, and I'm a lucky person, a very lucky person. The luckiest thing that ever happened to me was meeting Mark Talarico. He fell in love with my mom and then fell in love with me and adopted me and gave me his last name, raised me as his own. There's been so much conversation in this country in recent years about. About what it means to be a man. Yeah, what it means to be a young man. And I know young men are being, you know, there are these predatory algorithms that are taking advantage of young men all over this country. The, like, model for me for what a man is, is my dad. I'll just tell you just one example. Every Saturday, he would mow the lawn. He still mows the lawn. Like, he, you know, I've tried to urge him to get, like, to pay someone to mow the lawn or pay a kid in the cul de sac to mow the lawn, but he won't. Like, he. He always does it himself. And when we were growing up, he would mow our lawn, and then he would mow our next door neighbor's lawn because she was elderly, she was a widow, And I. He would do it and never talk about it, and. And I don't even know if she asked him to do it. He just. It was like it was his responsibility and. And not just a responsibility for me and my sister and and, and mom, our immediate family, it was a. It was a responsibility to, like, everyone around him, including Nita, our next door neighbor. And that just always struck me as, like, that's exactly what a man, a father, should be. Someone who takes responsibility, someone who does the right thing even when no one's watching. And that's exactly the kind of person he is. Always honest, always doing the right thing, always helping other people. Just the most remarkable man I know. And I'm like, so lucky. I had that as the model when I was growing up. And you've already. You've already heard about my mother. So, like, I just, I hit the parent lottery, the jackpot. I. I owe everything to both of them. And so thanks for asking about him

[Jamie Kern Lima]

to say that he is the best thing.

[James Talarico]

That's for sure.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

I've never heard you share that before. I've never heard you. I've never heard you talk about this. And that's a big thing to say. And he's probably gonna watch this and cry. Like, if I was a parent and my child said that about me.

[James Talarico]

Yeah, yeah. It's just true. I just. My mother's a remarkable person and I already said I would not be here if it wasn't for her and her, her act of. Of heroism and. But I feel like my. My dad gave me so many gifts, taught me so much about responsibility. I was here. Let me just tell you this. Like, I was like, I told you my mom has a rebellious streak, and I told you I have the same one. And when I was younger, that very much manifested and you're not going to believe this, but I was like a, A problem kid at school. Like, I acted out a lot. I talked when I wasn't supposed to, I talked back when I wasn't supposed to. Got in trouble with authority figures. A lot got in trouble. A lot was in detention and, you know, and all that stuff. Uh, and I feel like it was my dad's leadership as, as my father, as, as. As the person to kind of reign some of that in, because every kid needs that. And, and so I feel like that structure, that example, is what allowed me to kind of harness some of those impulses and channel them in more productive ways. Right? Because now I take that impulse of speaking truth to power and I do it on the House floor on behalf of my constituents, right? Calling out big pharma, calling out, you know, billionaire mega donors. Like, I'm able to do that because I've channeled that, that trait into something that's useful and productive. For the world. And I think my dad is really who, through his raising, helped me do that. So I just, I kind of just. I give him so much of the credit for the person I am today and the work that I get to do. I don't know if I would be doing any of this if my dad hadn't raised me into the. The man I am today.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

This is fascinating.

[James Talarico]

Yeah.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

You're born with that fight in you.

[James Talarico]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

And then we, we're seeing it playing out right now.

[James Talarico]

Yeah.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

In a lot of areas that people are really passionate about.

[James Talarico]

Yeah.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

Yeah.

[James Talarico]

Yeah.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

Talk about your sister and one of the favorite women in your entire life. Favorite little girls your entire life. Your. Your. Yes, Jane.

[James Talarico]

Yes. I also don't get to talk about Madeline a whole lot. Madeline's my sister, you know, Madeline was born 10 weeks premature and it was a frightening pregnancy, frightening delivery, and doctors weren't sure if she was going to make it. They told us she wasn't going to be able to talk or walk. And my mom was in the, in the hospital for so long that her boss called her and fired her over the phone. So there she was with a baby, struggling to survive, no job, another kid who needs to be watched. My dad took on extra work to kind of keep our family afloat. Every night. Mom went to go be with Madeline in the nicu. And. And to make sure that someone was taking care of me, our church, St. Andrews, they created a babysitting tree to make sure there was always someone with me every night so mom and dad could be at the hospital. And like that to me is the. Since we're both believers, that's the body of Christ. And, and so our church kind of kept us afloat in that moment when our family needed it the most. Anyway, Madeline got out of the nicu. She learned to walk, she learned to talk. She became a successful accountant. She married my brother in law, Matt, who was an army doctor. And now they have my baby niece, Jane. And baby Jane looks a lot like Madeline when she was little. So she reminds us all of, of, of Madeline. And they all live about 15 minutes from me, so I get to be with them a lot. Well, since the campaign started, it hasn't been a lot. But whenever I get a moment off the trail, I always try to, to be with Jane because she is just the joy of our lives. She's the first of that generation for our whole extended family. So not even just our immediate. But aunts, uncles, cousins, like she's the first of this new generation. And Just, we're all obsessed with her, and she gets all our attention. All of our, our lock screens are, are some kind of picture of Jane. And we renamed the family group chat to Jane's fan club because it's just Jane content all day long. But it is just so special to watch her grow into a, A. A very curious, silly, and very kind toddler. And, you know, the hope is that we're going to build a Texas that's worthy of her because I worry about, you know, the state that she's going to inherit and will she have, you know, good public schools to go to? Will she have clean air, clean water? Will she have all her rights? You know, that's. So. Not only is she kind of a comfort, but she's also very much an inspiration. She reminds me of, like, why this is so important and what's at stake.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

Will she have a job with A.I.

[James Talarico]

that's right.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

I'm going to ask you about.

[James Talarico]

That's right.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

You know, it's wild, James, that when I asked, when I opened the floor and asked, you know, ask anything of James Tallarico, what do you want to know? What questions do you want to know? I expected the most popular questions to be maybe how you feel about, you know, the Iran war or where you stand on particular topics. The biggest question, not even close. The most popular question that we got asked is, are you single? Are you single? So you have a girlfriend?

[James Talarico]

I do.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

Of many years.

[James Talarico]

I do. And she is my rock. She is my best friend. I don't know if I could have gotten through the last six months of this crazy race if, if she hadn't been by my side. So. Yeah, thanks for asking about, about her as well.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

And can you share how you've met?

[James Talarico]

Yeah, well, we, we actually worked together and then we became best friends and then we fell in love, and we've been together ever since.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

How is she handling everything happening right now?

[James Talarico]

Well, I don't, I don't think she wants any part of this running for Senate. I think she's very proud of me and, and very supportive, but there's just been so many attacks, you know, coming at me and coming at our team, coming at my church, my pastor, and so, you know, what I'm trying to do is protect her and my family and my friends from the impacts of this race because I signed up to run for the U. S. Senate. Obviously they did not, and, and so I'm trying to balance running this race while also protecting them and protecting her in particular.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

I want to ask you about that? Because with all the political violence, do you worry for your safety?

[James Talarico]

I don't worry about my safety. I do worry about this democracy and whether it can sustain this level of political violence, this type of violent rhetoric. So I worry for us as a whole. But, you know, we, we take precautions to keep me and, and the team safe, keep our supporters safe at events. And I have every confidence in our, in our, in our security team, but I have deep concerns about how we move forward together, how this American experiment continues when we handle each other so carelessly.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

Yeah.

[James Talarico]

You know, I, you had asked earlier about, like, what's drawing people to this campaign.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

Yeah.

[James Talarico]

You and I are both people of faith, and we both know the importance of the sacraments of these kind of sacred rituals to get us in touch with. With God and, and with our own spirits. I, I feel like we got to get to a point where we treat politics as a kind of sacrament. I know that may seem strange. You wouldn't think of sacrament and politics as being in the same sentence, but I mean, it is sacred work that we get to do in a democracy, whether we're a candidate, whether we're someone interviewing a candidate, whether we're citizens and neighbors, like, we get to shape our destinies together. And that requires that we enter into this work with kind of a spiritual mindset. I've said before that democracy is a spiritual practice. And so I think if we could get to this sacramental kind of politics where we handle each other with more care, where we see each other as. As divine image bearers, I think that could be a game changer for this American experiment, and not just here, but this experiment in democracy all over the world.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

You know, it feels like, and it's a big concern, I think, of a lot of people just what feels like a reinvigorated, if you will, surge of political violence and of threats and of divisiveness and of vitriol. And, you know, recently you've been getting different types of threats, and I just want to ask you about that because you talk about being protective of your loved ones and your family and how they didn't sign up for this, and you're entering this. And now you're in one of the most highly watched U.S. senate races in history. You're getting attacks from the current administration, from the current president, which I'll dive into in a minute. But recently you received a threat. Reportedly the Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, Pastor Brooks Potter, called for your death, to which you publicly replied, jesus loves Christian Nationalism kills. You may pray for my death, Pastor, but I still love you. I love you more than you could ever hate me is how you replied.

[James Talarico]

Yeah.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

What are your thoughts on that? And how did that moment impact your family, your girlfriend, the people you care about most? Because I'll be honest, I would start freak if it were me, and I'm your mom or I'm your sister, I would be stress eating some Texas barbecue 24 7. I'd be freaking out. How are you handling all this? And on a very serious note, when you hear this, how are you carrying this?

[James Talarico]

Yeah. Well, again, you know, my top concern is for the people around me, for my family, for our team, for our supporters. And that's why we've taken precautions to make sure that everyone is protected. But, you know, when I. When I first heard that, like any human being, you know, I. I had a lot of emotions. Hurt, anger, fear. But like I said earlier, I always try to remind myself that every single person that I come across is a child of God, including someone who is praying for my death. And so when, when you take that seriously, then you start to ask yourself, what leads a person to say that? What. Where is their head at? Where is their heart at? What fear must they be feeling to lash out in that way? And then you start to realize that, you know, we all feel those. Those fears. We're all worried about change. We're all trying to grasp onto some kind of certainty, whether it's in our political ideology, our religion, whether it's with money and possessions and power and control, like, we're all. We're all those, you know, fearful little people at times. And so once you can recognize that in yourself, it's, I think, easier to be compassionate. And. And so that's why I. I put out that. That statement. Because again, as a Christian, I'm called to love my enemies. And. And it doesn't mean. It doesn't mean you don't speak truth to power. It doesn't mean you don't hold people accountable. Doesn't mean you don't stand up for your convictions, for your neighbors, especially your neighbors who are in harm's way. But it's. It means that we're supposed to do all those things while still seeing the full humanity in our opponents. And, you know, as someone who talks about his faith a lot in public, I feel an immense amount of responsibility to try to model some of these things for the people who are watching me. And so if, you know, if there's someone who. Threatening or praying for your Death as an extreme example. But we're constantly in a democracy coming, coming up against people or groups who are either intentionally or unintentionally trying to cause us harm. How do we deal with those people in a democracy? How are you supposed to think about and feel about those people if democracy is a spiritual practice? And so that was my best attempt when my, you know, my well being was, was threatened by someone.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

Well, I want to know, you know, the man behind the movement right now, how you decompress from all this. What do you do for fun outside of work? I know you're a big country music fan.

[James Talarico]

I am.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

Love some Texas barbecue.

[James Talarico]

I do.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

Despite certain people calling you vegan, you apparently, I know you love brisket and you love vegan.

[James Talarico]

Was not one of the, one of the accusations I thought was gonna get thrown around in this campaign, but it has been.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

You're a huge fan of pulled pork sandwiches, barbecue and brisket.

[James Talarico]

I am, I am, yeah. You know, I, I don't get a lot of time off the campaign trail these days, but when I do, obviously it's most of the time is spent with family, spent with friends, spent with loved ones, because that's the best way for me to, to, to stay grounded. You know, I, I, I recently read Project Hail Mary, which is a sci fi novel. It's now a movie. And sometimes I feel like an astronaut who has been, like, flung off into space. And being a candidate sometimes can be a lonely experience, even though you're surrounded by people all the time. You know, not everybody, you know, knows what it feels like to kind of go through something like this with the, the attacks that come your way and all that stuff. So spending the limited free time I have with the people who know me in real life, who know me as a human being, not as a candidate or an idea, but as a flesh and blood person. That's really important to keep me kind of tethered, to keep me sane through this adventure. But, you know, I also love being outdoors. I love hiking. I mentioned my love for Big Bend. Also give a shout out to Lost Maples, which is a, a state natural area in the hill country, and to the, the hike and bike trails around Austin. That's very much a way that I stay connected and grounded, is being out in nature. And then last, I would say, is reading. I was a language arts teacher, and I've been a lover of books my whole life. That's why I fought so hard against a lot of these efforts to censor or ban books in Texas because I know the power of, of books in my life and in the lives of, of, of students. And so reading is, is definitely a way that I relax and a way that I try to cultivate my own imagination and creativity is through reading. And, and so if you ever come into my house, you would just see like a wall of books and books on the floor and books in the closet. And I don't do Kindle or the ebooks just because like I tried one time and there was like a dictionary feature, we could look up words and I ended up just like looking up tons of words and I never got past like the page I was on because I was too distracted. And so hard copy old fashioned books are still the best way for me to, to, to try to disconnect from the craziness that's happening all around me.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

You know, in. When you think about your personal life, you talk so much about your niece loving your, your niece. Baby Jane, I have to ask you this. Don't kill me. Yeah, don't kill me. And I've seen your girlfriend playing with your niece and you know how much you love kids. When we think about your future. Do you want kids one day? What, what do you, what can you share with us about all that?

[James Talarico]

Well, now you sound like my mom asking when I'm, when I'm going to give her another grandbaby. I definitely do. I definitely do want to have kids one day. You know, it's kind of hard in the middle of this campaign to think, you know, the next week ahead. Certainly hard to think that far in advance, but it's definitely something that I want to do one day.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

You know, just seeing you talk, when you talk about your niece, it's like your eyes light up.

[James Talarico]

Yeah, well, and being, and being around, being around Jane and being around my sister and brother in law as they, as they embark on this adventure of parenthood, it has definitely confirmed in me that it's something I want to do. I've just seen, I've seen how it's changed my sister and brother in law too, for the better. I mean, they're sleep deprived and stressed out and exhausted, but their heart, their hearts seem to be so much bigger now and they just seem to understand love in a way that I think it's hard to understand without having kids. Not that you can't because lots of people do, but it is definitely one way to tap into a deeper, bigger love. And I definitely want the opportunity to experience that.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

For some reason, I'm just thinking about Michelle Obama was on the show and I'm thinking about how Sasha and Malia grew up in the White House. Turned out great. Kelsey Clinton, Great place for kids to grow up. I don't know. I was just thinking about it. I want to talk about your campaign though. So you've been rushing it with fundraising. You've raised more than any U.S. senate candidate in U.S. history. Q1 of this year. Is that right?

[James Talarico]

Yes.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

What? Congratulations on that. It really is. I know the percent is insanely high of donations under a hundred dollars. It's really a people powered movement. Can you talk about your fundraising strategy and what the heck is happening? Because everyone's watching.

[James Talarico]

Yeah, I've made the commitment not to take corporate PAC money.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

We need to pause for a second super brief break. And while we do, take a moment to share this episode with every single person that you know who this could inspire. Because this conversation can truly be the words and inspiration they need to hear today to keep going, to remember that they matter, and to feel less alone and more enough, more connected, more inspired and more worthy who you spend time around. It's so important as energy is contagious and so is self belief. And I'd love to hang out with you even more, especially if you could use an extra dose of inspiration. Which is exactly why I've created my free weekly newsletter that's also a love letter to you delivered straight to your inbox each and every Tuesday morning from me. If you haven't signed up to make sure that you get it each week, just go to jamiekernlima.com to make sure you're on the list and you'll get your one on one with Jamie weekly newsletter and get ready to believe in you. If you're tired of hearing the bad news every single day and need some inspiration, some tips, tools, joy and love hitting your inbox. I'm your girl. [e-mail] or in the link in the show notes. Imagine what would you do if you fully believed in you. I went from struggling waitress facing non stop rejection to founder of IT Cosmetics, a billion dollar company by learning how to overcome self doubt and believe I am worthy of my hopes and dreams. And I'm sharing how you can too in my new book Worthy how to believe you are enough and transform your life. If you're ready to truly trust yourself and break through that barrier of self doubt and know that where you come from or even where you are right now doesn't determine where you're going, then worthy is for you. It's Time to go from doubting you're enough to knowing you're enough. It's time to step into all of who you are and into the person you were born to be. And it's time to believe that you are worthy of it. Because in life, we don't become what we want. We become what we believe we're worthy of. Join the worthy movement today by grabbing your copy of Worthy Anywhere books are sold. Then head to worthybook.com now for free gifts including my five part course on becoming unstoppable and my 95 page worthy workbook action plan that teaches you how to implement the tools from the book into your real life. Right now the gifts are going away, but they're all free right now on worthybook.com and now more of this incredible conversation together. Can you talk about your fundraising strategy and what the heck is happening? Because everyone's watching.

[James Talarico]

Yeah, I've made the commitment not to take corporate PAC money. I've never taken corporate PAC money in my time in legislature and I'm not doing it as a senate candidate or as, or as a senator. And so this is a people powered campaign. I think what's even more impressive than that big number is where it came from. It came from more than half a million people who donated their hard earned money to this race. 98% of the donations are under a hundred dollars. You have to lift list your occupation. The most common profession out of all of our donors is teacher, which as a former teacher just really fills my heart. So this is very much working people giving 5, 10, 15 at a time. Some of them are on a monthly plan, you know, just like you pay for Netflix or, or, or a newspaper subscription. They are helping to fund a candidate that, that can represent them in, in Washington D.C. so yeah, I'm really proud of, of this people powered movement that we've built.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

And you're the only candidate not taking corporate pacman.

[James Talarico]

That's right.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

Is that sustainable long term?

[James Talarico]

I think so. I think we're proving that with this fundraising success, if you can inspire enough people, if you can mobilize enough people to give small amounts of money, then I don't think you need the corporate packs. You don't need the, the, the Walmarts or the, the ExxonMobils of the world to fund your campaign. You know, I, I as a legislator was always, you know, I had an open door policy when I was in the State House to local businesses who employed my constituents. I'll have the same policy as a U.S. senator. I want to work with our business leaders to make sure we support Texas businesses big and small. I just don't think that corporate influences should have that much sway with a elected official. So it's why I've tried to limit the influence in. In my campaign and hopefully in my Senate office.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

You talk a lot about billionaires and their puppet politicians. I want to get granular for a minute on this, because I think this is super important. There's probably a lot of people watching this, wondering who maybe know my story or my journey. So, you know, I feel so blessed to be one of many people who believe in and have lived the American dream. And I remember working so many jobs. My parents were so hardworking. You know, I'm the first person in my family to go to college. But I remember, you know, Denny's waitress. I remember just working so hard. And eventually I built my own company from my living room. And eventually over a thousand employees was able to sell it to l', Oreal, the biggest beauty company in the world, for a whole lot of money. And, and. And can you talk about. Can you talk about your passion behind talking about billionaires?

[James Talarico]

Yep.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

And they're puppet politicians. Why people at home should care about this and how. You are so clear, and I think this is so powerful. James, when you talk about this, when you talk about how so many of us are focused on the wrong 1%, can you share that? Because also, we still want people passionate about the American dream.

[James Talarico]

Right. Of course.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

You kind of explain.

[James Talarico]

Yeah.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

Explain where you are there.

[James Talarico]

Yeah. I mean, I really see this campaign as on a mission to revitalize that American dream that you lived, that a lot of people have had the privilege to live. But it's slipping out of reach for a lot of people. I saw a stat that 90% of baby boomers went on to earn more money than their parents, which I think is a pretty fair definition of the American dream. Right. Being more successful than the generation before you. For millennials, it's 50%. For Gen Z, it's even lower than that. So the American dream that was a reality for the vast majority of people in. In that generation is now slipping out of reach for millennials and Gen Zers. And that is not because our generations are lazier. It's because the structure of the economy itself has changed over the last 50 years. And the structure of our political system, both of those systems, our economic and political systems over the last 50 years, were corrupted by the wealthiest people in this country. Billionaires, billionaire mega donors. Elon Musk is Now on track to become the world's first trillionaire. And they have rigged through their donations to politicians, by buying politicians, they have rigged the economic system to benefit them at our expense through a whole bunch of different ways. Taxes, regulation, you know, jobs and industries and, and unions, the power to, to, to organize all of these things in concert have led us to this moment where a person who's listening to this podcast right now in Texas can't afford to make, to make their ends meet. They, they're trying to figure out where they're going to get enough money to pay the mortgage and the child care bill and, and insurance and utilities and transportation now with gas prices rising, and they're trying to figure out why do I feel like I'm drowning when I work hard? Why can't I seem to get ahead no matter how many hours I put in? And what I'm trying to point out is that it is the folks at the very top who've corrupted our political system and who have rigged the economy in their, in their favor that is the real problem. It's why I say that the real fight in this country is not left versus right, it's top versus bottom. Because whether you're a little more progressive or a little more conservative, whether you like Democrats or like Republicans, we're all getting screwed. None of us can afford our housing. None of us can afford child care. None of us can afford our prescription drugs. None of us can afford to put our kids through college. And so we have to figure out how to unrig this economic system. And it starts by getting the corruption out of our politics. I'm not trying to demonize these billionaire mega donors. Again, loving my enemies. I think the world that we're going to build with shared prosperity, with more wealthy people who pay their fair share in taxes and who don't use all the loopholes to get out of it. I think that world is going to be better for all of us. Whether you're wealthy or whether you're, you're working class. And, and I think it will lead to more success, not less, because I want people to be successful. I want people to live the dream that you've gotten to live. I've said before, I want an economy that creates more millionaires and fewer trillionaires. Right? I want that success to be, to be broad based. I want it to be shared just like we did in the 20th century, you know, when we had the largest middle class in the world. After the, after the Second World War, we grew together as a country and it was the greatest economic prosperity we've experienced as a nation. And it was because wealthy people and corporations felt a responsibility to their fellow citizens. You know, I think about the great American companies, gm, George, they had a, they had a more expansive definition of shareholder. Right. It was the shareholders weren't just the people who, who owned stocks in the company. It was the workers, the families of those workers, the customers, the community members. Right. The nation. And so there was a sense of civic, there was a sense of corporate citizenship. And I feel like over 50 years of trickle down economics, all that has gone out the window. Now it is all just, what can I do for me, for our bottom line, for my very narrowly defined shareholders? And screw everybody else. And, and because those very wealthy people have bought politicians to help them rewrite these rules of the road, all the wealth that's been created over the last 50 years has gone to the top 1%. And none of it is shared by the people who actually created that wealth. Right. The people who made it possible. So all I'm advocating for, I'm not trying to demonize billionaires, I feel like I'm trying to humanize billionaires. In fact, I'm trying to get us to see each other as part of one nation, one community, to love our neighbors. And hoarding a trillion dollars to yourself, more money than you could spend in a hundred lifetimes, that is not love. And you know, our faith traditions warn us about concentrated wealth and power and the danger of that. And so I'm trying to, I think in this campaign bring us back to a point as a country where we are growing and thriving together as one community, rather than just the folks at the very top, at our expense.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

And do you think your fight to end corruption in government will bring it back to a place where you're like, great, the American dream is alive and well, everyone can go for it. You can, you know, become a millionaire or a billionaire, but pay your taxes. Don't be in a situation where, oh, you're a billionaire and you're not paying taxes, but, oh, you're making 40,000 a year as a teacher and you're paying a whole bunch of taxes.

[James Talarico]

That's right.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

And that doesn't make sense.

[James Talarico]

That's right.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

And you're trying to get it back to what's fair, but you're still pro American dream. Become successful, that build it.

[James Talarico]

That's right, yeah, absolutely. And, and that's, those two things are very much linked together.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

Yeah.

[James Talarico]

That American dream is, is one that's only possible if we have an economy if we have a government that works for all of us, not just the people at the very top. You know, the average Texan pays about 14% of their income in federal income taxes. The 400 wealthiest Americans pay half that as a percentage. You know, I'm talking about the raw number, I'm talking about as a percent of their income. And that just seems completely backwards to me. I think it seems backwards to everybody. And so I think we have to rewrite the rules of this economy, we have to reform this political system so that we can start to grow together again and revitalize that American dream so that more people can, can realize and fulfill their God given potential.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

It's wild how there's so many corporations that are making just phenomenal amounts of money, barely paying any taxes, if any, and then they have employees that literally can't make enough money. They're having to apply for assistance while working there.

[James Talarico]

And so that means you and I are subsidizing that corporation's bottom line.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

Yeah.

[James Talarico]

Because if, if I'm, if I'm putting my hard earned taxes into Medicaid to cover employees at Walmart, that means that I am subsidizing Walmart's profit margins. And I just nothing against Walmart, I shop at Walmart. I think my problem is that the most powerful people, the wealthiest people, need to step up and do their fair share. And a lot of them do, which is great. But I think it can't just be, can't just be the honor system anymore. We've got to close these loopholes, we got to crack down on tax cheats and ensure that we are growing again together as a country and that everyone feels a sense of patriotism, economic patriotism, a sense of citizenship and, and recognizes, you know, what they owe to this country because you know, even though successful people were able to do it because they had people supporting them, they had schools educating them, they had infrastructure, they had roads to drive on to move their products like it was, you know, it was a partnership between that entrepreneur, their dream, their grit, their hard work, and a community that fosters it and makes it possible. And so then there's a relationship between those two things and that relationship has been severed over the last 50 years.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

I think it's so powerful when you talk in real people language to real people. And I think for decades people have heard, oh, corporate loopholes and this, but they haven't actually understood, yeah, that if you don't end corruption in government, just how it impacts the fact that you cannot Afford your rent. You can't. I mean, and the amount of taxes people are paying, that it's just. Yeah. So I think that. I think people are understanding. Understanding why a lot of terms you would hear in the political world before, but not really understand how they impact you. I think a lot of people are understanding how they're impacting them right now.

[James Talarico]

That's right.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

And I think that's another reason people are really resonating.

[James Talarico]

Yeah.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

This stuff that you're talking about. I want to talk about crime because crime is a big issue for a whole lot of people. And you know, you're so. You're so passionate about love your neighbor, all of our neighbors. What if your neighbor is a criminal? And what is your plan to reduce crime?

[James Talarico]

Yeah, I think public safety is the most important thing the government does. And again, I'm a former teacher, so, like, public education is my passion, but I think public safety comes before everything. Because if you're not safe, if you don't have a safe neighborhood, if you're not secure in your home, if your family's not secure, it's really hard to care about anything else. And so we have to have policies that ensure public safety. If someone calls 91 1, a professional needs to answer that call and show up immediately. People need to feel safe in their neighborhoods. They need to feel safe in their homes. And. And I have a record in the state legislature of supporting policies that, that promote public safety, supporting law enforcement, supporting border security, because I take public safety so seriously. And. And I do believe that's a part of loving thy neighbor. Wanting security and safety for your neighbors is how you show love. And if a neighbor threatens that security, then that person needs to be kept away from others for their own benefit because you don't want them hurting other people. At the same time, in our justice system, we have to be focused on rehabilitation whenever possible. I think those two things, those two things are not mutually exclusive. You can both ensure that violent criminals are locked up and be fighting for rehabilitation programs that can help people get back on their feet when that's possible. And I've fought for both those policies at the state capitol, fought to have resources to crack down on crime and fought for justice reforms to ensure that we are rehabilitating more inmates than we are now.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

I'm thinking about how I was watching a video of you talking about crime on YouTube and the first thing I noticed, by the way, is all these other politicians ads popping up that are like literally bidding their ads or their teams are their campaigns are on any video you're on right now. And just to change the subject for a minute, I think this is fascinating because you're one of the most widely requested guests in the history of our show. So many people have requested to have you on. A lot of people are talking about you everywhere. But in the research for our interview, I felt like every video I pulled up on YouTube, there was other politicians ads on your video, which I think is a huge compliment.

[James Talarico]

I guess.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

So, I mean, I think that it's just an interesting moment right now. And I think anyone who's maybe listening to us right now on a podcast app, try this, go to YouTube, watch this interview on YouTube, watch what ads pop up for you. Like seriously, just right now. It's fascinating. It's fascinating the attention that you're getting. And it's not just across Texas, it's everywhere. But I do want to ask you about Texas because we are days away from knowing who you're going to face in the Texas U.S. senate race in November. So you'll be facing either incumbent Senator John Cornyn, who's a 74 year old, who's been in the seat for 24 years, which you talked about 80 year olds earlier. He would be 80.

[James Talarico]

Do you want to know a fun fact? Yeah. John Cornyn was first elected to public office six years before I was born.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

Wow.

[James Talarico]

Yeah. So, yeah, he's, he's been there for a while. Yeah.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

Or Texas Attorney General ken Paxton, a 63 year old who's been embroiled in a lot of scandals and lawsuits for many years, including having been impeached and later acquitted. I'd love to hear your thoughts on both possible opponents, starting with John Cornyn.

[James Talarico]

Well, so I actually don't think it matters who comes out of this runoff because we already know who we're running against. We're running against those billionaire mega donors who have corrupted our political system and have rigged the rules of this economy. This movement we're building is a lot bigger than any one politician in my mind.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

Yeah.

[James Talarico]

Whether it's Cornyn or Paxton, whether it's President Trump, like it's bigger than any of those personalities because we're, we're trying to go after the system itself. Right. That's producing the kind of corruption that you see from Ken Paxton or John Cornyn because both of them have really forfeited their right to represent all of us in the US Senate. Both of them have sold us out time and time again. Ken Paxton's crimes are well known. I was part of the bipartisan majority in the Texas House that voted to impeach our corrupt attorney general. So I know his crimes better than most people do. But I would say that John Cornyn is even more corrupt than Ken Paxton, which is surprising. You know, I don't know if people are going to believe me when I say that, but John Cornyn was the deciding vote on that big, ugly bill last year that people may remember. It's a bill that is going to kick millions of Texans off their health care. It's going to take food out of the mouths of hungry Texas children, all to give yet another tax break to John Cornyn's billionaire mega donors. And Ken Paxton was impeached for using his public office to enrich his donors in a very literal, illegal way. But John Cornyn, at a massive scale, is using his public office to enrich his donors. So to me, it's. It's two sides of the same corrupt coin. And. And I think it's the kind of politics that people are sick of on both sides of the aisle. And. And I think that's what's motivating this movement. It's really not about them as individuals, them as. As. As individual lawmakers. It is them as. As symptoms of a. Of a sick system.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

I'm shocked to hear you say that. I think a lot of people would be surprised.

[James Talarico]

Yeah.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

That you just said who you feel is more corrupt.

[James Talarico]

Yeah.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

But what you're saying also is it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter who you're going to

[James Talarico]

be up against, because we're running against that corruption.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

Yeah.

[James Talarico]

And whether it's takes the kempaxon form, which is an illegal kind of individualistic corruption, or if it's John Cornyn, which is a legalized, systemic form of corruption. Both are, I think, Are grotesque in a. In a democracy. But we're going to be running against that corruption regardless of what form it takes in a.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

In a. Republican opponent Joe Rogan and many others are already calling for you to run for president. I know you're focused on the US Senate right now, but I have to ask you the question, will you one day run for president?

[James Talarico]

All right.

[Jamie Kern Lima]

This conversation with James Talarico, so incredible, we made it into multiple parts from where James stands on issues you care about most to answering all the questions you wrote in to ask him. He is truly opening up like never before. And one thing I can promise you, you'll leave part two feeling hopeful and inspired. You are not going to want to miss this incredible part two of our conversation with James Tallarico Coming up in the next episode of the Jamie Kern Lima Show. Remember, this episode's not just for you and me. Please share this with any every single person that you know because it can impact and change their life too. And if you love today's episode, please click the Follow or Subscribe button for the show on the app that you're listening to it on or watching it on. And if it added value to your life, if you could, please give it a rating or review. I love a great five star would be so so grateful and just share it with everyone you believe in. Maybe it's another person in your life who could benefit from it. Maybe someone you know is, you know going through a tough time and needs some hope, needs some inspiration or just needs to feel less alone, more enough. Please share it with others online in your community who just might need the words and tools and lessons in this episode today. You never know whose life you're meant to change today by sharing this episode. And thank you so much for joining me. Before you go, I want to share some words with you that couldn't be more true. You right now, exactly as you are, are enough and fully worthy. You're worthy of your greatest hopes, of your wildest dreams, and of all the unconditional love in the world. And it's an honor to welcome you to each and every episode of the Jamie Kern Lima show here. I hope you'll come as you are, heal where you need, blossom what you choose, journey toward your calling and stay as long as you'd like because you belong here. You are worthy. You are loved. You are loved and I love you and I cannot wait to join you on the next episode of the Jamie Kern Lima Show. In life you don't soar to the level of your hopes and dreams. You stay stuck at the level of your self worth. When you build your self worth, you change your entire life. And that's exactly why I wrote my new book Worthy how to believe you are enough and transform form your life for you. If you have some self doubt to destroy and a destiny to fulfill, Worthy is for you. In Worthy you'll learn proven tools and simple steps that bring life changing results. Like how to get unstuck from the things holding you back, build unshakable self love, unlearn the lies that lead to self doubt and embrace the truths of that wake up worthiness, overcome limiting beliefs and imposter syndrome, achieve your hopes and dreams by believing you are worthy of them and so much more. Are you ready to unleash your greatness and step into the person you were born to be. Imagine a life with zero self doubt and unshakable self worth. Get your copy of Worthy plus some amazing thank you bonus gifts for [e-mail] or the link in the show notes below. Imagine what you do. If you fully believed in you, it's time to find out. With Worthy, who you spend time around is so important as energy is contagious and so is self belief. And I'd love to hang out with you even more, especially if you could use an extra dose of inspiration. Which is exactly why I've created my free weekly newsletter that's also a love letter to you delivered straight to your inbox from me. If you haven't signed up to make sure that you get it each week, just go to jamiecarnlima.com to make sure you're on the list and you'll get your one on one with Jamie weekly newsletter and get ready to believe in you. If you're tired of hearing the bad news every single day and need some inspiration, some tips, tools, joy and love hitting your inbox. I'm your girl. [e-mail] or in the link in the show notes. And please note, I'm not a licensed therapist and this podcast is not intended as a substitute for the advice of a physician, professional coach, psychotherapist, or other qualified professional.