[5] In August 2022, while a member of the Texas House of Representatives, Talarico began pursuing a Master of Divinity at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, which he is set to complete in 2025.

Talarico launched his campaign for the Texas House shortly after incumbent state legislator Larry Gonzales announced his retirement.

At 28, Talarico won both the special and general elections against Republican Cynthia Flores in 2018,[8] garnering media attention for walking the full length of the district.

As a member of the Public Education Committee, he helped draft House Bill 3, which contained $11.6 billion in funds for school finance and property tax reform.

[11] During Talarico's first term, a recording of Texas House Speaker Dennis Bonnen was leaked by Michael Quinn Sullivan of the conservative advocacy group Empower Texans.

[16] Talarico was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes during a five-day stint in the ICU after a 2018 campaign event where he walked 25 miles, and found that insulin costed around $700 per month.

[24] Talarico was an outspoken critic of SB 1515, which sought to have the Ten Commandments displayed in a "conspicuous place" in elementary and secondary classrooms.