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“We keep it red because Talarico is a creep,” Gruters said. “He’s a vegan. He thinks God is non-binary, he wants to mutilate children. He wants to put boys in girls locker rooms. People are done with that.”
Then Gruters delivered a nickname that immediately grabbed attention.
“Talafreako.”
The nickname had reportedly already appeared during a Fox News appearance the previous evening, but Gruters doubled down by repeating it on national television the next day.
The moment instantly became one of the most talked-about exchanges in Texas political circles.
Newsmax co-host Marc Lotter responded after viewers were shown a montage of Talarico’s previous public comments.
“You might as well put just a little disclaimer there, ‘Paid for by the Republican National Committee,'” Lotter joked.
Republicans believe those clips could become a central part of the Senate campaign.
One statement in particular has followed Talarico since his rise through Democratic politics.
During remarks delivered on the Texas House floor in 2021, Talarico stated:
“God is both masculine and feminine and everything in between. God is non-binary. Trans children are God’s children, made in God’s own image.”
The comments resurfaced after Talarico emerged as the Democratic nominee.
Rather than distancing himself from the remarks, Talarico defended them during a recent podcast appearance, arguing that while the statement may be politically controversial, he did not believe it was theologically controversial.
Republicans see that position very differently.
For many conservative voters in Texas, questions involving faith, gender ideology, and parental rights remain among the most important issues in modern politics. GOP strategists believe those topics will be front and center throughout the campaign.
Additional clips that have circulated online show Talarico discussing biological sex as a spectrum and suggesting there are multiple biological sexes.
Those remarks have also drawn criticism from conservatives who argue that Democrats continue to push policies that voters rejected in recent elections.
Meanwhile, another issue Republicans have highlighted involves Talarico’s support for reducing meat consumption as part of climate-focused policy goals.
Although Talarico has denied claims that he personally follows a vegan lifestyle, Republicans have seized on his previous comments supporting efforts to decrease meat consumption.
In a state where cattle ranching, agriculture, and energy production remain deeply woven into the culture and economy, GOP operatives believe those positions create another challenge for the Democratic nominee.
The stakes could not be higher.
Texas has not elected a Democrat to the United States Senate since 1988, and national Democrats view the state as one of their most ambitious pickup opportunities.
Following the party’s disappointing performances in recent national elections, many Democratic strategists hoped Talarico’s youthful image and polished communication style could help broaden the party’s appeal among moderate voters.
Republicans, however, are betting that his own words will make that task nearly impossible.
Now, with President Donald Trump’s endorsement behind him and momentum from a landslide primary victory, Paxton enters the general election campaign determined to tie his opponent to positions conservatives believe are deeply unpopular across Texas.
Whether Gruters’ newly coined nickname sticks remains to be seen.
But one thing is already clear: Republicans intend to make James Talarico’s past statements a defining issue in one of the nation’s most important Senate races.
And if the opening days of the campaign are any indication, the fight for Texas is about to get very personal.
