Talarico Makes SNL Cameo Days After Texas Senate Win

Sen.-elect James Talarico appeared on "Saturday Night Live" days after defeating Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in a U.S. Senate race that flipped the seat from Republican to Democratic control for the first time in decades, according to NBC News.

What happened during the SNL cold open?

The cold open, aired this week, opened with cast member Kenan Thompson playing New York Rep. Hakeem Jeffries and Sarah Sherman playing Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, celebrating Tuesday's election results, NBC News reported. Sherman's Schumer character introduced the pair as "establishment Democrats" and asked, "Do we even know how to lose?" Thompson's Jeffries character answered, "Yes," before proposing a toast to the night's wins, per the network's account of the sketch.

How did Trump's character react to the results?

James Austin Johnson, playing President Donald Trump, interrupted the toast and claimed credit for the Democratic sweep, calling it a "blue Toonami" in a reference to Cartoon Network's late-night anime programming block, NBC News reported. The Trump character said he would not challenge the midterm results. "I accepted the results, which is almost scarier in a way," he said, according to NBC News. "It's like, 'What the hell is he planning?' I'll tell you what I'm planning: Ballroom."

What did the real Talarico say on stage?

Talarico then stepped into the sketch to applause from the studio audience in New York, NBC News reported. He introduced himself using the same line Trump's character had used to describe him moments earlier.

"Hi, America. I'm James Talarico, the guy who's been texting you every day asking for $5."

Johnson's Trump character replied, "In this economy, who can blame you?" according to the network's report.

How did Talarico win the Texas Senate seat?

Talarico, a state lawmaker and seminary student, defeated Paxton in a race NBC News described as "once thought improbable" given Texas's standing as a Republican stronghold. The win was part of a broader set of statewide victories for Texas Democrats on Tuesday, including state Rep. Gina Hinojosa's win in the governor's race, according to NBC News. The network reported that Democrats claimed every statewide office on the ballot, a result it characterized as ending a "decades-long drought" for the party in Texas.

What does the SNL appearance signal about the race's visibility?

Talarico's booking on the long-running NBC sketch show, within days of his victory, places him alongside the other newly empowered Democratic figures depicted in the cold open — Jeffries, cast as the likely incoming House speaker, and Schumer, as Senate majority leader. NBC News did not report any additional on-air remarks from Talarico beyond the introductory exchange with Trump's character.

For the full video and NBC News's account of the sketch, see the original report.