James Talarico faces Republican backlash in Texas Senate race

Texas Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico is facing intense scrutiny from Republican opponents following a viral video in which he quickly named Alyssa Edwards as his favorite drag queen during a campaign event. Republican leaders, including Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, have used the moment to characterize Talarico as “too weird and too radical” for the state.

In an effort to appeal to moderate voters, Talarico has recently expressed opposition to certain transgender issues, such as supporting bans on gender-transition surgeries for minors and opposing transgender athletes in girls' sports if it impacts safety or fairness. However, critics argue this is a political rebranding. This claim is supported by reports of an undercover recording featuring Rev. Babs Miller of St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, who suggested Talarico is temporarily softening his stance to win the election.

Additionally, the campaign has faced allegations regarding its outreach methods. An undercover video reportedly showed an organizing manager for the Texas Majority PAC discussing a “paid relational program” that pays individuals $25 to attend Zoom classes on voting importance, a practice described by some as a “roundabout way of paying people for their votes.”