Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said James Talarico, the young Texas Democratic nominee for Senate, is going to Hell because of his progressive interpretation of the Bible and Christian religion. <\/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<\/a> at the Republican Party<\/a> of Texas convention on Friday. \u201cI\u2019ve never seen so much blasphemy from anyone running for office. 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. That\u2019s what we\u2019re up against. That\u2019s the darkness. That\u2019s the light. That\u2019s why we must be one.\u201d<\/p>\n Patrick, who is running for reelection, spoke at the convention in Houston, Texas, where he trashed Talarico, the Democratic Texas House representative who has defended controversial views within the Christian faith<\/a>, like abortion, gay marriage and transgender rights. <\/p>\n Patrick called Talarico and the Democratic party \u201ccrazy.\u201d<\/p>\n Talarico responded to Patrick, writing Friday on X<\/a>, \u201cFor decades, Dan Patrick has sold out the poor, the sick, and the vulnerable to enrich his donors. Love feels like blasphemy when you worship power.\u201d<\/p>\n At the beginning of Patrick\u2019s speech, he said he wants to be remembered for standing for Jesus, adding that the country is in a \u201cbattle\u201d between \u201cdarkness and light.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd the other side, they\u2019re living in darkness,\u201d Patrick said, referring to Democrats<\/a>. <\/p>\n He also said he doesn\u2019t understand the critique of Christian nationalism.<\/p>\n \u201cThat means I love God and I love America, and if that\u2019s what a Christian nationalist is, here I am,\u201d Patrick said to roaring applause. <\/p>\n Talarico, however, has been outspokenly critical of Christian nationalism, saying<\/a> \u201cthere is nothing Christian about Christian nationalism.\u201d<\/p>\n