As Republicans seek to highlight Democrat James Talarico’s record on transgender issues, immigration, and other progressive causes ahead of November’s U.S. Senate election, the lawmaker’s campaign is embracing one of the nicknames those positions have earned him.
The Talarico campaign recently began selling merchandise bearing the phrase “I’m a Talafreako,” a reference to a nickname used by Republican nominee Ken Paxton during his runoff victory speech.
“He goes by a few names that you may all have heard of,” Paxton told supporters. “Some people know him as Tofu Talarico, some people call him Six Gender Jimmy. I’ve even heard some people call him James Talafreako.”
Paxton then explained the reasoning behind the nickname, pointing to Talarico’s positions on immigration and transgender issues.
“He wants open borders, and even said a welcome mat should be at our southern border,” said Paxton. “He’s a threat to our children. He wants boys in girls’ sports, gender mutilation surgery performed on kids.”
Paxton also referenced a comment from Talarico in which the Democrat said “trans kids” were among the things he loved most outside his family and friends.
Now the campaign’s online store features apparel prominently displaying the nickname.
The move comes as Talarico seeks to build support statewide following years as a progressive Democrat in the Texas House.
Talarico has opposed legislation barring biological males from competing in women’s sports, criticized Republican efforts related to protecting minors from sex-rejecting medical interventions, and has been an outspoken advocate for transgender-identifying youth.
Those positions have become a central focus of Republican attacks as Paxton and other Republicans seek to portray Talarico as out of step with Texas voters despite recent efforts to present himself as a more moderate figure.
The decision echoes a similar episode from 2018, when the Texas Democrat Party briefly sold merchandise celebrating itself as the “pot-smoking lesbian coalition” after the phrase was used by Gov. Greg Abbott adviser Dave Carney to describe the party. The merchandise was quickly pulled.
