![\"Texas](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/IMG_0153.jpg\" "\\"Texas")
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Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick speaks at former President Donald Trump\u2019s Make America Great Again Rally in Waco, Texas, on March 25, 2023.<\/p>\n
Abby Church<\/p>\n
Star-Telegram archives<\/p>\n
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on Friday said state Rep. James Talarico, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in Texas, is \u201cgoing to hell\u201d if he continues to campaign \u201cagainst God.\u201d<\/p>\n
Patrick was addressing attendees of the Republican Party of Texas\u2019 state convention in Houston from the event\u2019s main stage. Talarico, who represents the Austin area in the state legislature, is a Presbyterian seminarian.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s James Talarico who decided to bring the Bible into this election, and let me tell you, that\u2019s not a Bible I\u2019ve ever read,\u201d Patrick said. \u201cI\u2019ve never seen so much blasphemy from anyone running for office, and let me tell you what, I\u2019m going to pray for that guy, because when he loses the Senate race, if he campaigns against God as he\u2019s been doing, he\u2019s going to hell for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n
Much of his speech and remarks from other officials speaking at the convention Friday focused on party unity after a bruising primary season, where Democrats are hoping to capitalize on what could be a vulnerable year for Republicans. It\u2019s been decades since a Democrat has won statewide in Texas.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need every Republican all in, in November,\u201d Patrick said. \u201cRemember, it\u2019s darkness and light. We cannot lose Texas.\u201d<\/p>\n
Talarico is facing Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, the Republican nominee for Senate, in the Nov. 3 general election.<\/p>\n
Talarico\u2019s campaign directed the Star-Telegram to a social media post responding to Paxton\u2019s remarks when reached for comment.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor decades, Dan Patrick has sold out the poor, the sick, and the vulnerable to enrich his donors,\u201d Talarico said in a post on X.<\/a> \u201cLove feels like blasphemy when you worship power. \u201c<\/p>\n Patrick serves as chair of President Donald Trump\u2019s Religious Liberty Commission and has been an ally of the president, who he said will be spending a lot of time in Texas.<\/p>\n Patrick said Democrats accuse Republicans of being Christian nationalists.<\/p>\n \u201cTo me, that means I love God and I love America, and if that\u2019s who a Christian nationalist is, here I am,\u201d Patrick said. \u201cThat means they\u2019re anti-Christian, anti-country.\u201d<\/p>\n This story was originally published June 12, 2026 at 4:47 PM.<\/p>\n Eleanor Dearman<\/a><\/p>\n Fort Worth Star-Telegram<\/p>\n Eleanor (Elly) Dearman is a Texas politics and government reporter for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. She\u2019s based in Austin, covering the Legislature and its impact on North Texas. She grew up in Denton and has been a reporter for more than six years.
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