A lot of attention has been focused on the Michigan Senate race, where Abdul El-Sayed and Mike Rogers are nearly tied in the polls, despite El-Sayed's being buffeted by political headwinds stemming from his ties to the DSA and Islamist extremists, not to mention his own radical statements in the past.
All that attention is warranted, of course, but another race could determine the Senate power balance and upend assumptions about Republican dominance in the supposedly safe state of Texas. Texas Governor Greg Abbott is locked in a tight race, but Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, the Senate candidate, is currently polling behind his Democrat opponent, James Talarico.
TEXAS SENATE RACE: Recorded sermon catches James Talarico (CIS) comparing unborn children to tapeworms & parasites who should have no legal rights. He claims Christianity is a 'feminist religion' that justifies abortion. This is the 'moderate' Democrat preacher running for… pic.twitter.com/RVM2mAwQLn
— @amuse (@amuse) June 2, 2026
In some ways, I find it just as disturbing that Talarico is ahead as that El-Sayed is running neck and neck with Rogers. Not only is a Democrat running ahead of a Republican in reliably Republican Texas disturbing, but the seeming appeal of Talarico runs counter to what we think we know about even Democrat voters in Texas.
This was written the day of the Dobbs decision. One can understand opposing Dobbs. One can understand wanting to overturn it. But advocating for what would, in effect, be a Federal Abortion Service, staffed by a Federal Abortion Corps, seems...out there. But classic Talarico. https://t.co/kvwTl4gfYL
— Byron York (@ByronYork) September 2, 2026
Talarico is, perhaps, the most woke candidate for Senate in U.S. history, although he is probably only tied for that spot with Peggy Flanagan of Minnesota, who is also a Senate candidate. But Flanagan, according to the latest polls, is running neck and neck with her Republican opponent Michele Tafoya, while in much more conservative Texas, Talarico seems to have a comfortable lead according to the N+ Universion poll, which shows him up by five points.
Democrat Nominee for U.S. Senate in Texas James Talarico says “I hope we all realize that trans girls are girls” and calls questioning that a “silly debate”. pic.twitter.com/44y3JasnlN
— America (@america) September 9, 2026
Granted, other polls show a much tighter race, but given that Talarico's views are so out of touch with Texas voters, I am flummoxed that this race even appears close. Betting markets now sit at 50-50, although this year's election markets haven't been that impressive at predicting results.
Actual Talarico quotes:
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) September 9, 2026
“I think of myself as a Christian who hates Christianity”
“God is nonbinary”
"There are many more than two biological sexes. There are six.”
“Prison is violence”
Texas, is this who you want representing you? https://t.co/f7FGMXwoDH
Talarico makes Beto O'Rourke look almost moderate and manly. I was quite shocked that Talarico has been forced to admit that he had an illicit sexual affair with a legislative staffer, not because of the moral lapse — we have come to expect that these days, and Paxton is hardly an angel in that regard — but because Talarico sets off everybody's gaydar.
CNN exposes James talarico for pretending to be a moderate:
— Lone Star Liberty PAC (@LoneStar_PAC) September 2, 2026
talarico's unearthed call to end Texas oil and gas and dismantle capitalism is a "very different political vocabulary from the one he's using in his campaign today"
"This is obviously a number of progressive positions… pic.twitter.com/Ef5QlfjSUZ
Talarico seems to take the 20 percent position on every 80-20 issue you can think of, and his climate change fanaticism should scare every Texan who wants a viable economy in the state. He ran a vegan campaign and even had to eat meat for the cameras to assure people that his stated position that eating meat is immoral because it is bad for the climate is no longer his position.
Talarico once tweeted that white Americans spread a racism virus.
— Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) September 1, 2026
He tried to walk that one back, like he does with everything else.
Talarico's core campaign message is basically "don't believe anything I've ever said up until about five minutes ago."pic.twitter.com/U59sRd0pv4 https://t.co/W83fci1xMa
I understand why Talarico appeals to the same Austin crowd that wants to provide sanctuary to every rapist and drug trafficker in the world, or those who believe that there are six sexes and we should chop up children to ensure them access to whatever genitals they want at any given moment, but the population of such people outside Austin and central cities is small.
In a private Zoom meeting with Austin Sierra Club activists, James talarico says capitalism is an oppressive system he wants to dismantle:
— Lone Star Liberty PAC (@LoneStar_PAC) September 1, 2026
"I'm ... thankful that young activists have really drawn the link between climate change and white supremacy and capitalism in our country.… pic.twitter.com/sPDDXg6l5q
In a private Zoom meeting with Austin Sierra Club activists, James talarico says capitalism is an oppressive system he wants to dismantle:
"I'm ... thankful that young activists have really drawn the link between climate change and white supremacy and capitalism in our country.
"And I think only understanding the ways that all three of those oppressive systems work together are we going to be able to begin the process of dismantling them." #TXsen
It mystifies me that this guy isn't at 35 percent in the polls.
James Talarico says Karmelo Anthony was convicted because "there were no black members of the jury" and the "system is not working for black Texans."
— Brandon Gill (@realBrandonGill) August 20, 2026
Karmelo Anthony stabbed 17-year-old Austin Metcalf to death for absolutely no reason.
And @jamestalarico sides with the killer. pic.twitter.com/kFIPWiMxp2
Talarico makes a lot of a preacher of himself, but by his own admission, he isn't much of a Christian. He doesn't believe Christianity is the path to salvation, doesn't believe in the teachings of Jesus Christ, and the congregation to which he belongs and preaches is filled with atheists who wish Donald Trump had been assassinated.
HIDDEN CAMERA: Pastor at James Talarico's home church ADMITS that members of the church wish Trump had been assassinated.
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) September 9, 2026
“We still have people in this church who wish that the young man had not just nicked his ear, but had been more successful."
“If you polled our members, and… pic.twitter.com/2BxBDLnXw6
HIDDEN CAMERA: Pastor at James Talarico's home church ADMITS that members of the church wish Trump had been assassinated.
“We still have people in this church who wish that the young man had not just nicked his ear, but had been more successful."
“If you polled our members, and asked them if they were Christian, agnostic, or atheist, the vast majority would say agnostic or atheist because they don’t buy the religion that we got from the Puritans.”
Of course, the excitement Democrats feel at the prospect of winning the Texas Senate seat is little different from what they felt with Beto O'Rourke, and I sincerely hope the election results show that Texas remains a solid Republican state. I think that is more likely true than not.
James Talarico believes it is fascist ("Christofascism") to keep babies from being killed in their mother's womb and children from being mutilitated in the trans craze. pic.twitter.com/GPlS1mxdPs
— Jim Pfaff (@jimpfaff) July 9, 2026
But how is this race even close? Sure, Trump's poll numbers are in the toilet, and the mood of the country is pretty sour, but do Texans really want to be represented by a man who thinks that there should be a federal abortion corps?
TEXAS SENATE RACE: James Talarico (CIS) proudly admits his church leads in transgender activism, promotes atheism, and protects illegals from deportation. He’s dropping in the polls the more Texans learn about him. pic.twitter.com/vyFloXMJQq
— @amuse (@amuse) July 1, 2026
Republicans are split, and many in the establishment are sorely disappointed that Paxton won the race. I get that. But Paxton won mostly because he is the anti-Talarico, and Texans' voting history shows they are comfortable with Paxton's flaws. I can't say I know every jot and tittle of the accusations against him, but Texans have taken the measure of the man in multiple general elections and decided they like the cut of his jib.
TALARICO: "My whiteness, my masculinity, all those things limit my imagination about what is possible."
— Brandon Gill (@realBrandonGill) June 22, 2026
What kind of 'man' talks like this? pic.twitter.com/9aob302apN
In no sane world could James Talarico represent the ordinary Texan for six years in the U.S. Senate, yet apparently this world is becoming insane, even in nominally Red states. I still believe that when all is said and done, Talarico will not win, but it scares me that it is even possible.
🚨 NOW: Republicans are running a BRUTAL new ad against James Talarico (D) to elect Paxton, PERFECTLY exposing Talarico as the weirdo leftist he is
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) May 27, 2026
- God is "non-binary"
- 6 sexes
- "Non-meat campaign"
- "Reckoning with whiteness" 🤡
ELECT KEN PAXTON! 🇺🇸pic.twitter.com/EEXcLnjq7N
Of course, I would never have guessed that thousands of women would flock to support Lindsay Clancy, nor that only one juror would stand between her and acquittal.
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