Election Day for the 2026 midterms is two months away, and Democrats are still convinced that Texas State Rep. James Talarico (D-50th District) can pull off a huge upset and win the election to the Senate. The polls make it look like a real contest. But I don’t think anyone actually believes that Talarico can win, and I don’t think he even thinks he’s winning since he decided to flip-flop on trans issues and is doing everything he can to look like a mainstream moderate in spite of his radical record on transgender ideology.
Frankly, I think he’s looking a bit desperate. And this week, he tried to catch his opponent, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, in a gotcha moment, and got epically schooled instead.
The mess started when Texas Railroad Commission Republican nominee Bo French posted a photo on X of a cluster of South Asian students at a Texas Longhorns football game. "I heard UT graduation this year looked like this. I didn't believe it. The problem is now obviously far worse than anyone imagined," French wrote.
Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), who lost the GOP Senate primary to Paxton earlier this year and has been sniping at him ever since, demanded that Republican officials "condemn the intolerance and racism," a jab widely read as aimed at Paxton for not instantly denouncing French.
This is the Republican nominee for statewide office. Are other Republican elected officials going to condemn the intolerance and racism, or look the other way while it becomes normalized. This is how great political parties self-destruct. Sad. https://t.co/TO1dTXKd6G
— Senator John Cornyn (@JohnCornyn) September 13, 2026
Of course, Talarico just couldn’t help himself. He thanked Cornyn for his "leadership" and suggested that if Paxton didn't follow suit, it would prove he's a coward.
Thank you @JohnCornyn for your leadership.
— James Talarico (@jamestalarico) September 13, 2026
Racism has no place in Texas.@KenPaxtonTX: will you condemn this blatant racism or will you cower to extremists? https://t.co/MWHEvrPdPV
Big mistake.
Paxton responded and completely turned the tables on Talarico.
I condemn racism in all its forms, including James Talarico saying white men are America's top terror threat and that he prays to overcome his own 'whiteness,' whatever that means. Only one person in this race has a history of dividing Texans by race, and it’s James Talarico. I… https://t.co/24Tlp3Rd5U
— Attorney General Ken Paxton (@KenPaxtonTX) September 13, 2026
The Young Republicans of Texas summed up the reaction in three words: "This is the way."
Paxton's response drew a wave of support online, and it's easy to see why. Talarico tried to hand Paxton a gotcha and got handed his own record back instead.
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This is the same Talarico who spent the last few weeks manufacturing a martyr story out of thin air. He claimed the FCC "banned" his interview with Jimmy Kimmel. It didn't happen. ABC simply chose not to air the interview on Kimmel's regular broadcast to avoid having to give Paxton equal time on the show.
Talarico picked a fight about race when he was the last person who should have. Paxton didn't have to invent anything. He just quoted Talarico's own past comments about white men and "whiteness" back at him, and it was glorious.
Editor’s Note: The 2026 Midterms will determine the fate of President Trump’s America First agenda. Republicans must maintain control of both chambers of Congress.
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