- The Texas Trial Lawyers Association, along with groups tied to Beto O’Rourke and George Soros, is listed as a “partner” in an effort to defeat Republicans in November.
- Trial Lawyers have lined up to fund James Talarico and other Democrats in key races
- The Texas Trial Lawyers Association, which touts its commitment to DEI, currently advertises seminars to assist lawyers with representing illegal aliens and identifying “implicit bias”
Fresh off a Primary Election season in which they spent millions of dollars to influence Republican Primaries, liberal personal injury trial lawyers are poised to once again spend big to help Democrats – including U.S Senate candidate James Talarico – in the November General Election.
Trial lawyers have historically been one of the largest funders of Democrats in Texas, and 2026 is shaping up to be no exception.
According to campaign finance data from the Texas Ethics Commission, the Texas Trial Lawyers Association has already begun making significant financial investments into Democrat candidates running to flip at least three of the most vulnerable Republican-held seats in the Texas House of Representatives.
Zach Herbert, who is running against incumbent Republican State Representative Angie Chen Button in District 112 in Dallas County, received $25,000 from the Texas Trial Lawyers Association on March 10.
The Texas Trial Lawyers Association is also backing Kristian Carranza, a Democrat who campaigned alongside liberal anti-gun activist David Hogg in her unsuccessful 2024 campaign for the Texas House. Carranza, who is once again running in Texas House District 118 in Bexar County, also received $25,000 from the Texas Trial Lawyers Association on March 10. She faces Republican nominee Jorge Borrego in the open seat currently held by outgoing Republican State Representative John Lujan.
Oziel “Ozzie” Ochoa, a Democrat running against Republican State Representative Janie Lopez in Texas House District 37, received $5,000 from the Texas Trial Lawyers Association on April 22.
The Texas Trial Lawyers Association’s role in efforts to help Democrats defeat Republicans appears to go far beyond these donations to Democrat candidates.
As first reported by Texas Bullpen, several prominent Democrat political operatives – including former State Senator Wendy Davis – have formed a new PAC called Blueprint Texas PAC to help elect Democrats in November and beyond.
A fundraising and strategy memo from the Blueprint Texas PAC identifies several allied organizations it is working with to achieve its objective of defeating Republicans, including the Texas Trial Lawyers Association. Other groups identified in the memo include Powered by People, which is tied to Beto O’Rourke; organizations associated with labor unions; and the Texas Majority PAC, which has received funding from George Soros.
The Blueprint Texas PAC identifies the Texas Trial Lawyers Association’s involvement in two of its initiatives: an opposition research project targeting 15 state house races and a coordinated voter-targeting and outreach effort in “legislative, county and congressional races.”
Although it has spent significantly to influence Republican Primary elections and was a sponsor of the recent Republican Party of Texas state convention, the Texas Trial Lawyers Association has embraced views that are contrary to the Republican Party’s principles.
On its website, the Texas Trial Lawyers Association promotes its commitment to “Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.”
“Diversity, equity, and inclusion are central to TTLA’s work,” its website states.
The Texas Trial Lawyers Association also advertises Continuing Legal Education seminars that run counter to conservative values.
One upcoming seminar advertised by the Texas Trial Lawyers Association, entitled “Advanced Strategies for Representing Spanish-Speaking and Undocumented Clients,” gives personal injury trial lawyers pointers on how to “maximize recovery” and “proactively address ICE-related concerns” when representing illegal aliens in civil lawsuits.
Another seminar advertised by the Texas Trial Lawyers Association, “How Implicit Bias Influences the Way You Represent Clients,” is co-presented by a “Certified Diversity Trainer” and promises to help attendees “improve client representation by gaining awareness of your own implicit bias.”
While the Texas Trial Lawyers Association does not engage in federal races, its national partner– the American Association for Justice – has donated to multiple Texas Democrats in federal races this election cycle.
On its website, the Texas Trial Lawyers Association states that it “partners” with the American Association for Justice and identifies over a dozen of its members who serve in leadership roles in the American Association for Justice.
The American Association for Justice PAC has many donors who are affiliated with the Texas Trial Lawyers Association. Notable among these include James Fields, the chief lobbyist for the Texas Trial Lawyers Association, and former Democrat State Representative Craig Eiland, who is President-Elect of the Texas Trial Lawyers Association.
The American Association for Justice PAC donated $5,000 to Democrat Senate candidate James Talarico’s campaign on March 25. It has also been a major donor to nationwide efforts to elect Democrats, having made large contributions to Democratic groups including the House Majority PAC, the Senate Majority PAC, American Bridge 21st Century, the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, and the Democratic National Committee.
Dennis Speight, the Director of Political Affairs for the Texas Trial Lawyers Association, is a longtime member of the Democratic National Committee. Michael Lyons, the VP of Finance for the Texas Trial Lawyers Association, has donated $7,000 to Talarico’s campaign. Lyons is also the Treasurer of the Justice for Texas Victims PAC, which spent heavily to influence Republican Primaries this year.
In addition to the Texas Trial Lawyers Association, other trial lawyer-funded groups are building war chests to help Democrats defeat Republicans in the General Election.
The First Tuesday PAC, which urged voters to “Stop MAGA Republicans” and “Vote for Every Democrat” in 2024, has already raised at least $1.4 million from trial lawyers for its 2026 election efforts. Several major donors to First Tuesday, including the Arnold & Itkin and Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner law firms, were key players in trial lawyers’ efforts to influence Republican Primaries this year.
The Lone Star Project, which was listed alongside the Texas Trial Lawyers Association as a “partner” in Blueprint Texas’ efforts to defeat Republicans, has received at least $150,000 from First Tuesday since last year. It has also received large donations from the Arnold & Itkin and Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner law firms, as well as from other trial lawyers.
“Defeating Republicans in Texas is hard and not for the faint-hearted. Every dollar invested and every hour spent must be focused on finding and helping responsible Democrats replace failed Republicans,” says the Lone Star Project on its website.
“Beating Republicans is our bottom line. That’s why investment in the Lone Star Project is a commitment to doing the hard work to win tough elections. The Lone Star Project applies years of broad-based political experience to give targeted candidates and allied organizations the essential political tools and services they can’t otherwise find or afford.”
Groups opposed to the Texas Trial Lawyers Association’s legislative agenda have traditionally been the largest donors to Republican candidates in General Elections. In the 2024 General Election, Texans for Lawsuit Reform spent over $8.5 million to assist Republican candidates. Its sister organization, the Judicial Fairness PAC, spent over $17 million on efforts that helped elect 26 Republicans to regional appellate courts across Texas.
