James Talarico’s victory over Republican Ken Paxton in Tuesday night’s midterms made him Texas’s first Democratic senator since 1988, according to the report. The result also drew comparisons to Casey McQuiston’s novel RED, White & Royal Blue and its 2023 Prime Video adaptation, in which Texas turns blue in a fictional election.
In the story, Alex Claremont-Diaz, played by Taylor Zakhar Perez in the film, develops a 14-page political strategy known as the Texas Binder to help his mother, Democratic President Ellen Claremont, win reelection. The plan aims to turn his home state blue, and Texas ultimately provides the votes that secure her a second term.
After Talarico was declared the winner, fans celebrated what they called the “Alex Claremont-Diaz impact” on social media. McQuiston responded to a Vulture Instagram post featuring Zakhar Perez as Alex with the words: “It was all in the binder.”
The report also recalls a 2024 conversation at Deadline’s Contenders Television event, where Zakhar Perez and producer Sarah Schechter were asked whether they thought an openly gay British prince or Texas turning blue again would happen first. “I really hope for both,” Schechter said. Perez added: “I think Joe needs to read Alex’s memo.”
The sequel, Red White & Royal Wedding, has been filmed and is awaiting a release date on Prime Video.
Sources: Deadline.