Senate candidate James Talarico raises $2.5 million after Stephen Colbert interview controversy, campaign says

by UB Center for Urban Studies · 02/19/2026

Stephen Colbert accused CBS of blocking an interview with Talarico from airing during his late-night broadcast on Monday. The interview, shared on YouTube, has millions of views and has allegedly resulted in millions of dollars in campaign contributions for Talarico.

*The Late Show with Stephen Colbert/YouTube*
Texas Senate Democratic candidate James Talarico spoke with Stephen Colbert on Feb. 16, 2026, after Colbert said his network blocked the show from airing the interview.

James Talarico raised more than $2 million for his U.S. Senate campaign after his interview with Stephen Colbert was shared on YouTube, his campaign said.

Earlier this week, Colbert accused his network, CBS, of blocking an interview with Talarico from airing during his television broadcast. Talarico stated in a press release that his Senate campaign had raised $2.5 million in the 24 hours “following his censored” interview.

“This is a campaign of, by, and for the people — so I’m proud that neighbors from all across our state and country stood together to defend free speech,” Talarico said. “This is the most dangerous kind of cancel culture, the kind that comes from the top. A threat to one of our First Amendment rights is a threat to all of our First Amendment rights.”

On Monday, Talarico was set to appear on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” on CBS. During the broadcast, Colbert stated that his network’s attorneys had informed him he would not be able to interview Talarico on the broadcast, citing guidelines from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

Instead, Colbert conducted an interview with Talarico and released it on YouTube. That interview had more than 5 million views as of Wednesday morning.

In a statement, read by Colbert during his broadcast Tuesday evening, CBS said Colbert “was not prohibited by CBS from broadcasting the interview with Rep. James Talarico. The show was provided legal guidance that the broadcast could trigger the FCC equal-time rule for two other candidates, including Rep. Jasmine Crockett, and presented options for how the equal time for other candidates could be fulfilled.”

To read the full article, go to Houston Public Media

By Michael Adkison, February 18, 2026