Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico is facing criticism from conservative figures after a social media post from Christmas Day 2021 resurfaced this week. In the post, Talarico celebrated receiving a Dr. Anthony Fauci action figure.
"I got the coolest action figure for Christmas!" Talarico wrote at the time on social media. "Thank you to all the health care superheroes working today. Let’s help by getting vaxxed and boosted!"
The resurfaced post has drawn mockery from Republican lawmakers and conservative commentators, particularly as Dr. Fauci has recently been in the news for invoking his Fifth Amendment right to avoid answering questions during congressional testimony.
Republican Texas Rep. Brandon Gill questioned on X, "Do you think James Talarico still plays with his Fauci action figure?" Senator Ted Cruz also commented on X, stating, "James Talarico called Fauci a superhero. Today, Fauci took the Fifth 111 times. Apparently accountability was sold separately." Cruz later added, "If you push the lever, it pleads the Fifth."
Commentator Benny Johnson quipped on X, "It comes as no surprise that James Talarico has a Dr. Fauci action figure." The National Rifle Association also posted on X, cautioning, "Never trust a grown man that plays with dolls."
At the time of the original post, Talarico was a member of the Texas House of Representatives. Even then, he faced criticism from conservatives for associating himself with COVID-19 lockdown policies. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, Talarico's opponent, has previously described Talarico as "too low-T for Texas."
The Dr. Fauci action figure is part of a line of "real life action figures" manufactured by FCTRY, which also includes figures of other political figures like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and former Vice President Kamala Harris. The figurine reportedly features a "removable mask" and can be purchased online.
Talarico's campaign did not respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital on Thursday.