After cruising to the Democrat nomination for U.S. Senate in March, James Talarico now appears focused on a different challenge: convincing Texas general election voters he is more moderate than the progressive activist Republicans have spent years watching online.
Republicans are already framing the effort as a “moderate media makeover” ahead of what is expected to become the most expensive Senate race in U.S. history.
During an interview with CBS News the day after Paxton won the Republican Senate runoff, officially setting the general-election matchup, Talarico was asked about his assertion that there are six sexes and a 2021 statement in which he said, “God is non-binary.”
“What did you mean by that?” the interviewer asked. “Do you regret describing it that way?”
“God can’t be defined by human categories,” replied Talarico. “There are some statements I’ve made that I regret. Ken Paxton is intentionally clipping my cringey comments.”
Talarico’s latest acknowledgment that he regrets some past statements comes as he has increasingly softened or reframed previous comments on gender ideology, gun control, climate activism, and energy policy.
In one recent appearance on the Texas Take podcast, Talarico attempted to downplay his past support for gun control measures, insisting that “I’m not interested in taking anyone’s guns.”
Republicans quickly pointed to prior comments and legislation they argue tell a different story.
In a 2020 appearance as a surrogate for then-presidential candidate Joe Biden, Talarico said it “encourages violence against black sons and daughters” when President Donald Trump allows “weapons of war on our streets and in our classrooms.”
Republicans have also highlighted legislation backed by Talarico that sought additional restrictions on handgun sales and concealed carry permitting requirements.
Among the measures Republicans pointed to were proposals that would have imposed additional regulatory burdens related to handgun licensing, mirroring states like California and New York.
Talarico has similarly attempted to dismiss Republican attacks over his past climate activism.
On the Texas Take podcast appearance, Talarico argued Republicans fabricated claims that he was vegan.
However, in a 2022 campaign video Talarico announced his campaign would “go vegan” as part of efforts to combat what he described as an “existential climate crisis.”
The issue intersects with another difficult political vulnerability for Democrats in Texas: oil and gas policy.
In another recent podcast appearance with Democrat congressional candidate Bobby Pulido, Talarico attempted to position himself as supportive of the Texas energy industry.
“The idea that politicians in Washington think they can eliminate this industry is something we had to fight against, something we have to fight against in our own party,” said Talarico.
Republicans quickly countered by resurfacing climate proposals and activist rhetoric previously associated with Talarico, including legislation aimed at dramatically reducing statewide emissions and past activism promoting climate change curriculum mandates in public schools.
Conservatives online also circulated previous comments from Talarico discussing efforts to inspire a “new generation of climate activists,” as well as his participation in demonstrations inspired by activist Greta Thunberg.
In Texas, where the oil and gas industry remains deeply intertwined with the state’s economy and workforce, Republicans are expected to aggressively target Talarico’s past climate activism and emissions-reduction proposals.
According to industry figures, Texas leads the nation in oil and gas employment, with more than 476,000 direct jobs tied to the industry—nearly a quarter of all oil and gas workers in the United States. More than 2.5 million Texas jobs are estimated to be supported by the industry overall, while the sector accounted for roughly $385 billion in direct gross regional product in 2025, representing more than one-third of the Texas economy.
Republicans argue that proposals aimed at dramatically reducing emissions would disproportionately impact Texas compared to other states due to the outsized role energy production plays in the state’s economy.
“It is a real shame for James Talarico that the internet is forever, and he cannot hide just how much of a liberal lunatic he is,” RNC spokesman Zach Kraft told Texas Scorecard. “From going vegan for climate activism to claiming transgender kids are his favorite thing in the world, he has taken up every crazy left-wing crusade for the last decade, and a fake moderate media makeover won’t hide the truth.”
Texas Scorecard reached out to Talarico’s campaign for comment regarding the apparent shift in messaging but did not receive a response before publication.
