State Rep. James Talarico quotes Scripture while advocating for public policies like welcoming immigrants, protecting abortion access and respecting transgender rights.
Republicans say that mix of progressive politics and biblical rhetoric shows the Austin lawmaker is out of step with the more conservative religious views of many Texans and unfit to represent them in the Senate.
As the race moves ahead, Talarico, a Presbyterian seminarian, has made his faith central to his campaign, and Republicans have seized on it as a line of attack.
It began shortly after Talarico defeated U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Dallas in the March 3 Democratic Senate primary.
Political Points
Republicans flooded social media with clips of his past remarks, focusing on moments in which he invokes Bible passages to deliver political messages.
That’s included an abortion-related discussion in which he referenced the story of an angel talking to Mary about carrying the son of God.
“That is an affirmation in one of our most central stories that creation has to be done with consent,” Talarico said. “You cannot force someone to create.”
Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Flower Mound, replied to that clip by comparing Talarico to a demon prince of hell.
“If Beelzebub were a politician, he would talk like this,” Gill said.
Texas Democratic U.S. Senate hopeful James Talarico greets supporters at his election night watch party in South Austin Wednesday, March 4, 2026.
Mikala Compton / Austin American-Statesman
Talarico said the Republican attacks are to distract people from the Iran war and high cost of living.
“They’re hoping Americans care more about culture wars than actual wars. More about pronouns than prices,” Talarico said on X. “We’re not falling for it.”
The GOP assault comes as the Republican Senate contest is still unresolved. Incumbent Sen. John Cornyn faces a May 26 runoff against Attorney General Ken Paxton.
Paxton has sharply criticized Cornyn as a Republican in name only who has been disloyal to President Donald Trump.
Cornyn has rejected that and recently announced a faith advisory council of prominent evangelical pastors. He has stepped up character jabs against Paxton, including a new TV ad accusing his rival of violating some of the Ten Commandments.
Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, departs following votes at the Capitol, Thursday, March 5, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)
Allison Robbert / AP
Both Republicans have been critical of Talarico. Asked about Talarico using his faith as a basis for political arguments, Cornyn offered a blunt response Thursday.
“He’s reading a different Bible than I am,” Cornyn said.
Flooding social media
Some of the clips Republicans are circulating online feature Talarico:
Describing Jesus as a “feminist” based on the way he incorporated women into his movement, challenging 1st century gender norms.Referring to God as “nonbinary” because God is beyond gender.Saying “you can’t call yourself a Christian and destroy God’s creation with greenhouse gases.”
The critiques preview the GOP battleplan against Talarico, who Democrats hope can rally a coalition that includes independents and crossover Republicans to flip the Senate seat.
Supporters of Texas state Rep. James Talarico, D-Austin, a Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate, react as results come in during a primary election watch party Tuesday, March 3, 2026, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Eric Gay / AP
Part of Talarico’s appeal is how he blends his faith with politics, preaching love over division.
Talarico has not backed away from his previous statements in the face of Republican criticism. The National Republican Senatorial Committee posted a video of Talarico saying:
“Christ is the immigrant deported without due process. Christ is the senior deprived of their Social Security benefits. Christ is the protestor kidnapped in an unmarked vehicle by plain clothes officers.”
Talarico reposted the clip and added the familiar tagline used in campaign ads.
“I approve this message.”
Democrats push back
Texas Democratic Party Chairman Kendall Scudder dismissed the Republican criticism as a political smear.
“They know Talarico is a strong candidate,” he said. “It’s going to take more than just tearing another person down to be able to succeed. Most of these attacks seem absolutely asinine.”
Jeremy Bradford, a consultant and former executive director of the Tarrant County GOP, said Republicans are right to highlight what he called Talarico’s selective interpretation of Christianity.
“You can’t just pick and choose what part of Scripture in the Bible you want to believe just to make it fit your own personal, political agenda,” Bradford said.
Rice University political scientist Mark Jones said Republicans appear determined to avoid what happened in the 2018 Senate race, when Democrat Beto O’Rourke’s campaign caught fire and nearly toppled Republican Sen. Ted Cruz.
Jones said Republicans waited too long to challenge O’Rourke’s favorable image with voters. “By the time they began their attack ads, it was too late to change that initial impression,” he said.
Talarico reaches out
While Republicans zero in, Talarico is working to unify his party by appealing to Crockett supporters.
Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, leaves the stage after speaking during a primary election watch party Tuesday, March 3, 2026, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Tony Gutierrez / AP
After her defeat, Crockett said the Senate race isn’t about one person and “it’s clear Democrats are poised to win in November.”
In his victory speech, Talarico acknowledged he was not the first choice of Crockett voters but said it’s his responsibility to make them feel at home in his campaign.
He also has appeared at events with prominent Black leaders in the party.
He attended the Rev. Jesse Jackson’s funeral in Chicago and has been hailed by Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga, who is a Baptist pastor.
Warnock’s name came up when former U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, D-Dallas, posted a video during the primary, slamming Talarico over a report that he had called Allred a “mediocre Black man.”
Talarico denied that and said the accusation was a mischaracterization of a private conversation. But the incident left scars with some Democrats.
In the video, Allred said Talarico is “not saving religion for the Democratic party or the left,” who already have Warnock to do that.
Warnock told The Dallas Morning News on Thursday he expects the party to unite behind Talarico, describing him as a talented messenger and adding that “the Senate could use another pastor.”
Warnock said Talarico is helping push back against distorted portrayals of Christianity by some conservative politicians.
“An important part of the moral work that he is helping me and others to do is to redeem the public’s understanding of what the gospel is actually about,” he said.