Jordan Walker Ross is taking his Christian convictions into a contentious political contest-and making a pointed claim about which candidate puts faith into practice. The actor who portrays Little James in "The Chosen" has endorsed Democrat James Talarico for the U.S. Senate and is helping launch "Faithful Texans for Talarico," a coalition seeking support from religious voters ahead of the November 3 election.
The endorsement places a recognizable face from Christian entertainment behind Talarico as he faces Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. But Ross's message goes beyond announcing a preferred candidate: he questions whether politicians who invoke Christianity demonstrate those convictions through their conduct and policies.
In his endorsement video, Ross draws on his Texas upbringing and lifelong exposure to faith to explain his decision. He argues that Talarico's concern for vulnerable people, including immigrants and those needing medical care, gives substance to the Christian language often heard on the campaign trail.
That argument makes the endorsement particularly revealing. Ross is asking voters to examine the relationship between religious identity and public action-and he presents Talarico's legislative work as evidence of that connection.
The actor also credits Talarico with working across party lines to challenge corporate interests and reduce costs. These are Ross's reasons for supporting the candidate, making his endorsement an appeal to assess faith through the practical consequences of political leadership.
Talarico's religious credentials add another layer to the contest. The 37-year-old former middle school teacher serves in the Texas House of Representatives and is pursuing a Master of Divinity at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, where he has already earned a master's degree in theological studies. His Christian beliefs have also attracted criticism, underscoring the disagreement surrounding his presentation of faith in public life.
For readers familiar with Ross primarily through "The Chosen," the announcement offers a direct look at his own political convictions. His endorsement is personal; the report does not establish an endorsement by the television series, its producers, or his fellow cast members.
The coalition's launch now gives that personal endorsement an organizing purpose. Ross is encouraging supporters to join an effort intended to turn religious identification into electoral participation, with less than three weeks remaining before Election Day.
The underlying dispute reaches beyond one actor's choice. Ross's intervention highlights a question running through the campaign: how should voters weigh a candidate's profession of Christianity against the policies and behavior that candidate supports? His endorsement supplies his answer-and places that judgment squarely before the religious voters the coalition hopes to reach.
