US senator-elect James Talarico made his first public appearance after winning a historic Texas Senate race by visiting the Houston memorial of Lorenzo Salgado and placing an “I voted” sticker at the site.
Talarico visited the Canal Street memorial on Saturday, marking four months since Salgado’s death. His campaign said hundreds of Texans had already placed voting stickers at the memorial, turning the location into a place of remembrance after the 52-year-old construction worker’s death.
Talarico, a Democrat, defeated Republican Ken Paxton and Libertarian candidate Ted Brown in the Texas Senate race. He became the first Democratic U.S. senator from Texas since 1988, winning 49.4% of the vote in a closely contested election.
‘Lorenzo, our fellow Texan, deserves justice’
The visit highlighted Talarico’s focus on immigrant communities and his promise to address issues surrounding Salgado’s death after his transition from Texas politics to the U.S. Senate.
“Lorenzo Salgado lived in this country for 35 years. As a construction worker, he sent his three boys to college,” Talarico said. “Lorenzo, our fellow Texan, deserves justice — and that’s exactly what I’ll fight for in the U.S. Senate.”
Talarico previously visited Salgado’s memorial in August, according to his campaign. His latest visit came as he prepared to enter the Senate and shape his national political agenda.
The memorial has become a gathering point for residents who have left “I voted” stickers after casting ballots. Talarico said the gesture represented Texans remembering Salgado and demanding accountability.
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Memorial visit follows historic Texas Senate victory
Talarico’s appearance came days after he secured a major political breakthrough for Texas Democrats. His victory ended a nearly four-decade gap since the party last held a US Senate seat in the state.
The campaign gained national attention through its heavy use of social media storytelling. Talarico’s team said his digital content generated more than 3 billion organic views since September 2025, helping him build support among younger voters.
Talarico has positioned immigrant rights and community protections as central issues ahead of his Senate term. He said Salgado’s story represented the experiences of many immigrant families who contribute to Texas communities.
His visit reflected his campaign message of connecting national issues with personal stories from Texas communities.
Salgado’s son, Ronaldo Salgado, thanked Talarico for returning to the memorial, according to KHOU. He said the senator-elect’s visit showed support for Latino and immigrant communities in Houston’s East End.
“My family and the rest of the East End are thankful that Senator-elect Talarico is making the visit to my dad’s memorial,” Ronaldo Salgado said.