President Donald Trump has said that Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico is “insulting to Jesus Christ,” as he congratulated Ken Paxton on winning Tuesday’s GOP primary runoff.
Trump also compared Talarico to the cartoon character Alfred E. Neuman, and repeated a false claim that he is vegan.
“A strong open borders advocate, he is WEAK ON CRIME, believes there are 6 genders, is insulting to Jesus Christ, will never support the military, was a big mask wearer until recently, and is a vegan who dislikes meat, not exactly a good way to be if you’re wanting to win an Election in Texas,” Trump wrote about Talarico on Truth Social.
Trump Congratulates Paxton on ‘Tremendous Win’
Left: President Donald Trump at Morristown Airport in New Jersey last week. Right: James Talarico in Austin, Texas, in February.
Trump described Talarico in his post as “may be the worst TEXAS candidate I have ever seen,” and said that Rep. Jasmine Crockett, who lost the Democratic primary, who Trump said was a “very low IQ individual,” would have been a “far better choice for the Dumocrats.”
He also said that he will “do some nice, big, beautiful rallies for Ken. Texas, this will be FUN!”
Commenting on Paxton’s win over Senator John Cornyn on Tuesday, Trump added: “Congratulations to Ken Paxton on such a tremendous win, and to John Cornyn for having run a strong and powerful race but, more importantly, having had a truly great career. John will remain my friend for a long time to come, as we both watch Ken become a fantastic, common sense Senator, one who is respected by all.”
Democrats Eyeing a Blue Texas
Talarico is a Presbyterian pastor and a state lawmaker. He secured the Democratic nomination in March, defeating Crockett.
The November contest will be a test for the Democrats of whether they can make their long-held dream of flipping Texas blue come true. Democrats have not carried Texas for statewide office in the 21st century, and Trump won the Lone Star State by 14 points in 2024.
However, recent polls and prediction markets indicate that it could be possible for Talarico to flip the state.
After Cornyn conceded the race, Talarico thanked the four-term incumbent for his service in a post on social media.
“We don’t agree on everything, but we both still believe in public service,” he wrote. He also addressed Cornyn’s supporters directly. “You have a place in our campaign,” he wrote in the post.
What the Polls and Prediction Markets Show
So far, no clear frontrunner has emerged in the polls. One poll predicted a dead heat between the two candidates, with both receiving 45 percent of the vote. That poll was of 1,223 Texas registered voters, conducted between April 22 and May 6 by the Barbara Jordan Public Policy Research and Survey Center at Texas Southern University.
Betting platform Polymarket gave the Republican Party a 54 percent chance of winning the Senate and gave the Democratic Party a 47 percent chance.
Ahead of Paxton’s victory and with a split in the GOP over the best candidate, some polling suggested Talarico had gained ground. A Texas Public Opinion Research poll, conducted between April 17 and 20, showed Talarico leading Paxton 46 percent to 41 percent.
Meanwhile, a separate April poll of 1,200 registered voters from the Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas put Talarico ahead of Paxton, with the former at 42 percent and the latter at 34 percent.
The James Talarico Vegan Claims Explained
Republicans have consistently repeated the claim that Talarico is a vegan. Speaking to reporters on Air Force One on May 15, Trump said, “He’s a vegan. He’s a vegan. All of a sudden he’s not a vegan,” adding, “Texas doesn’t like vegans.”
At a recent rally, Paxton asked the crowd for suggestions for nicknames for Talarico. The audience suggested, “Tofu Talarico,” and “Soy boy!”
However, Talarico is not a vegan.
During an appearance with the left-wing TheMeidasTouchPodcast, Talarico addressed this and said, “I’ve been eating barbecue since before Ken Paxton’s first indictment.” Paxton has a history of legal issues, and in 2015, was indicted on state securities fraud charges related to activities before taking office as Texas Attorney General. He pleaded not guilty.
Vegan protein source. Legumes, beans, lentils, nuts, broccoli, spinach and seeds. Talarico has repeatedly denied being a vegan, and once claimed that he’s been “eating barbecue since before Ken Paxton’s first indictment.”
What Has James Talarico Said About The Border
In Trump’s Truth Social post, he described Talarico as “A strong open borders advocate.” Border policy and immigration at large are key issues for voters. Trump’s hardline immigration policy was key in his successful bid for re-election in 2024.
Talarico has been critical of both Democrat and Republican immigration policies.
In a recent interview with POLITICO, Talarico said: “I’ve called out the extremes in both parties, on the right and left, and as you know, called out President Biden for failing to secure our southern border.”
A Texas sheriff said an SUV carrying 12 undocumented immigrants flipped and killed at least five people as it raced from Border Patrol Sunday afternoon.
He spoke about immigration policy in more detail with POLICTO in a 2025 interview, where he said, “People have a desire for a sane immigration system, a secure border that can ensure public safety and can ensure that the people coming here are coming to contribute to our communities and not threaten our communities,” he said.
“We should treat our southern border like our front porch. We should have a giant welcome mat out front, and we should have the lock on the door,” he added.
What Happens Next
Texas will head to the polls on November 3, 2026.
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