Texas state Rep. James Talarico said Wednesday that previous comments he has made on sensitive cultural issues "missed the mark," as Republicans lean on those remarks to attack him in the contentious Senate race against Republican nominee Ken Paxton.
In an interview with NBC News, the Democratic nominee was asked if he wanted to clarify some of those statements that his GOP challenger has been highlighting in recent days. Talarico responded: "I'll be the first to admit that I missed the mark on some of those old statements, but what Ken Paxton is doing is clipping my cringey comments to distract from his career of corruption."
Paxton defeated longtime Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, in Tuesday's GOP primary runoff. In remarks celebrating his victory, Paxton referred to Talarico by a string of mocking nicknames — "Tofu Talarico," "Six-gender Jimmy," "James Tala-freako" and "Low T Talarico" — while denouncing his positions related to gender-affirming care, immigration, energy and religion.
What the Right Is Saying
Republicans have seized on Talarico's past remarks as evidence of extreme ideological positions incompatible with Texas values. The attacks center on two specific comments: a 2020 post after the death of Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia, where Talarico wrote that Black Americans were being "killed by the virus of racism" and that "White skin gives me and every white American immunity from the virus," and a 2021 statement during debate on a bill targeting transgender athletes, where he said "Modern science recognizes that there are many more than two biological sexes — in fact, there are six."
President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social after Paxton's primary win that Talarico "may be the worst TEXAS candidate I have ever seen," calling him "a strong Open Borders advocate" who "believes there are 6 genders" and "is insulting to Jesus Christ." Trump endorsed Paxton earlier this month.
Paxton's campaign has amplified these remarks aggressively. "Ken Paxton has a criminal record; I have a legislative record," Talarico said, referring to an indictment Paxton faced that was dismissed after he participated in a diversion program. Republicans counter that the allegations surrounding Paxton's impeachment were never proven in the Senate, where he was acquitted.
What the Left Is Saying
Progressive Democrats and Talarico's supporters point to his legislative record as evidence of his ability to work across the aisle. "I've served for four terms in the Texas House of Representatives, where I brought Democrats and Republicans together to pass 60 bipartisan bills to cut property taxes, to raise teacher pay, to lower the cost of housing, childcare, prescription drugs, including insulin," Talarico told NBC News.
Talarico has also sought to redirect attention toward Paxton's legal troubles. "The most corrupt politician in America just became the Republican nominee for the United States Senate," he said of his opponent. The Democratic nominee cited Paxton's 2023 impeachment by the Texas House on charges including using his public office to benefit a donor, though Paxton was acquitted in the state Senate.
"That kind of corruption is the rot at the core of this broken political system that we're running against," Talarico said during his Democratic primary campaign. He has been leaning into anti-corruption themes and arguments about fractures in the nation's political and economic systems.
What the Numbers Show
Talarico has served four terms in the Texas House of Representatives representing District 47, winning his most recent election with approximately 58 percent of the vote, according to state election records.
Paxton won Tuesday's GOP primary runoff against Cornyn by a margin that NBC News projected based on early returns. The race was closely watched nationally as an early test of Trump's endorsement power within the Republican Party. Cornyn had served four terms in the Senate and held leadership positions, including whip and majority leader roles.
The Texas Senate seat has been held by Republicans for decades. Historical voting patterns show statewide races typically favor Republicans in non-presidential election years.
The Bottom Line
Talarico's acknowledgment that his past comments "missed the mark" represents a notable pivot as he enters the general election phase of what is expected to be one of the most expensive Senate races of 2026. Both candidates are betting their strategies will resonate: Talarico on bipartisanship and anti-corruption messaging, Paxton on cultural issues that animate the Republican base.
The race will test whether Texas remains solidly Republican in federal contests or whether shifting suburban voting patterns create an opening for Democrats. Polling data from prior cycles showed competitive margins in statewide races, though Republicans have consistently won Senate seats by comfortable margins in recent elections.