They've Even Called Me a Vegan, and Those Are Fighting Words in the State of Texas, Talarico Said at a San Antonio Rally This Summer

James Talarico is meeting the GOP's attacks on his masculinity head-on, betting that confronting the issue directly will help him flip a Texas Senate seat Democrats haven't held in nearly four decades. The Democratic state legislator is countering Republican efforts to paint him as weak and effeminate by focusing on issues he says men actually care about, from barbecue to challenging his opponent to televised debates. "They've even called me a vegan, and those are fighting words in the state of Texas, Talarico said at a San Antonio rally this summer.

At another rally in Houston, he invoked his father's example of mowing an elderly widowed neighbor's lawn without asking, saying, "My dad showed me what real greatness looks like. He inspired me to serve. Republicans, including his challenger Ken Paxton, have targeted the 37-year-old former public school teacher for past statements endorsing a vegan lifestyle, suggesting "God is nonbinary, and opposing legislation that erodes transgender rights.

Paxton's first general election ad implied Talarico has low testosterone levels, and a conservative PAC released an AI-generated video of Talarico as an actress from "The Sound of Music" singing about giving hormones to children. Talarico opposes gender-affirming care for minors, his spokesperson JT Ennis said. Rep.

Brandon Gill (R-Texas) called Talarico "a total weirdo, while Talarico said his comment on God's gender was meant to be "deliberately provocative, meaning God is beyond gender. Some Democrats see the attacks as a distraction from Paxton's own baggage, including an ethics complaint that was dropped, a DOJ corruption investigation with no charges, securities fraud charges dismissed in an agreement, and an impeachment by the Texas House for bribery and abuse of office, for which he was acquitted by the Senate. "They fear his strength, especially since he's running against the most notorious scumbag in American politics, Sen.

Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) said. The race is part of a broader battle for male voters, especially young, Black, and Hispanic men who shifted right in 2024. "Democrats need to be prepared for more of these attacks to come and understand how to handle them, said Lucas Holtz of Third Way. If Talarico wins, he could serve as a model for other Democrats facing similar attacks."