‘Friday Night Lights’ Celebrity Campaign for James Talarico in Midterm Ad

“It’s time to leave everything on the field.” This is the message Friday Night Lights Series stars Connie Britton, Jesse Plemons and Adrianne Palicki address Texans in the latest battle for U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico in an ad the Democrat dropped over the weekend.

Echoing the battle cry of the fictional Dillon High School football team, “Clear eyes, full hearts, I can’t lose” from NBC’s hit 2005-2011 drama series starring Britton and Kyle Chandler, the spot kicks off Talarico Lone Star’s national tour heading toward Election Day on November 3.

With the FNL (gently referred to as “Friday Night Leftists” on Laura Ingraham’s Fox News show Monday) present, don’t blink at 0:56 or you might miss Kacey Musgraves greeting the candidate in the front row.

Tied in the polls with Texas Republican Party Attorney General Ken Paxton, who has been the subject of legal and ethics scandals over the years, Talarico has attracted a galaxy of power stars in his bid to become the first Democrat to hold state office in usually red Texas since 1994.

In addition to controversies over dating late-night hosts Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel that drew the ire of Elon Musk, Talarico, a four-term member of the Texas House of Representatives, has visited Los Angeles several times for a series of major fundraisers. The parties were hosted by veteran Democratic donors like Damon Lindelof and former HBO executive and Obama-era ambassador to Spain James Costos.

Plus, the great Willie Nelson and Bill Nye, the scientist, joined the Talarico hayride. The Chicks welcomed the future senator on stage with them on October 17 in San Antonio.

For all the hopes, dreams and big names Talarico brought to the table in the final weeks before the midterm vote, his MAGA rival Paxton received consistent support from Donald Trump and the widely watched Fox News. Even more prominent than the former Apprentice host, Paxton is the beneficiary of more than $190 million from Musk for his run. With control of the Senate in the Democrats’ grasp and Trump’s poll numbers in the toilet, the race between Paxton and Talarico is not only the most prestigious race in the midterms, but (with more than $500 million in ad buys alone) the most expensive.

At that, as FNC goes after it, Talarico is in Fort Worth tonight and in Tyler, Texas on Tuesday as both campaigns head to the finish line next month.

Gn entert

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