Democratic Texas Senate candidate James Talarico has reversed several of his most controversial past statements on gender and sexuality as his race against Republican incumbent Ken Paxton intensifies. Talarico now states he supports banning gender-affirming surgeries for minors and opposes transgender women participating in women's sports if it compromises safety or fairness.
In a recent interview, Talarico addressed his previous stance on a Texas bill that prohibited certain gender surgeries, puberty blockers, and hormone treatments for minors. He explained that his vote against the bill in 2023 was because it was "overly broad," and he had supported an amendment to limit its scope to minors. He confirmed his current position: "Absolutely," he would vote as a U.S. senator to ban gender surgery for minors.
Regarding transgender athletes, Talarico stated, "I oppose trans athletes playing in girls’ sports if it endangers safety or fairness." He emphasized his concern for student athletes as a former public school teacher.
Talarico also clarified remarks he made in 2021, including the assertion that "God is nonbinary." He admitted to being "provocative" and stated his intention was to convey that human categories cannot define the divine, calling it "not controversial theologically." He also walked back a previous comment about there being six genders, stating he now believes there are only two sexes, with a small percentage of individuals having genetic abnormalities. He attributed the focus on such issues by his opponents to a desire to distract from economic concerns like fuel prices.
The Texas Senate race is considered critical for both parties' efforts to secure a Senate majority. Talarico is challenging Attorney General Ken Paxton. Talarico pledged to keep his campaign focus on affordability for Texans, citing struggles with the cost of groceries, gas, and healthcare. He also reiterated his opposition to a state income tax, despite having previously voted against a measure to permanently ban it, which he then described as "government waste at its worst."
In contrast to his revised positions on social issues, Talarico criticized the Supreme Court, calling it "infected" with corruption and advocating for its overhaul. He stated that if elected, he would vote for measures including binding codes of conduct for justices, term limits, and potentially expanding the number of justices.
He characterized Paxton as "the most corrupt politician in Texas" and suggested Paxton would attempt to use Talarico's past comments to distract from Paxton's own controversies.