GOP rushes to define Talarico as Cornyn-Paxton race goes into overtime
the piece reports that Republicans are quickly trying to cast Texas Democratic state Rep. James Talarico as a “radical” as the Texas Senate race heads into a runoff between John Cornyn and Ken Paxton.Talarico’s primary victory over Jasmine Crockett removes the firebrand Democratic candidate from the race, and GOP operatives are resurfacing past remarks to argue he is out of step with Texas voters, including his calls for a border “welcome mat,” a remark about God being nonbinary, and his stance on abortion. Party strategists say Talarico could be a stronger general-election opponent than Crockett,prompting discussions about securing President Trump’s endorsement for Cornyn to blunt his appeal. Talarico’s supporters counter that the attacks signal he is a credible threat to Republicans and highlight his civility and Christian background as a unifying message. The article also outlines the broader Texas Senate landscape, noting that Cornyn is facing a runoff with Paxton and that party officials believe turnout and the ability to attract a broad cross-section of voters will be pivotal.
GOP rushes to define Talarico as Cornyn-Paxton race goes into overtime: ‘Trump-hating radical’
National Republicans are making an early push to label state Rep. James Talarico as a “radical” after he won the Democratic nomination for Texas’ hotly contested Senate race on Tuesday night.
Talarico’s victory deprives the GOP of the firebrand candidacy of Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX), who suffered a 6-point loss to Talarico in the Democratic primary. She made her name in the House as an unabashed progressive whose combative style of politics drew comparisons to ex-Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene.
But Republicans have begun to draw on a trove of statements Talarico made across his political career, betting that he, too, can be painted as out of touch with Texas’s right-leaning voting electorate.
In the hours after his primary victory, Republicans began circulating clips that suggest the sort of advertisements they will cut in the lead-up to November. At least one, his call for the United States to roll out a “welcome mat” at the border, was deceptively edited. Others revived his statement that “God is nonbinary” and his suggestion that the Bible sanctions abortion.
“James Talarico is an open borders, Trump-hating radical who can never be allowed to set foot in the U.S. Senate,” Joanna Rodriguez, spokeswoman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, said in a statement.
Alex Latcham, executive director of the Senate Leadership Fund, called Talarico a “Far-Left liberal who is wildly out of step with Lone Star voters.”
His statement linked to a mix of X posts, news articles, and votes he took serving as a state representative in the Texas House, focusing in part on his defense of illegal immigrant labor.
JOHN CORNYN TO FACE KEN PAXTON IN COSTLY SENATE RUNOFF
The messaging blitz won’t reach full swing until Republicans figure out their nominee for the Texas Senate seat. Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), a four-term incumbent, will spend the next 12 weeks fending off a primary challenge from Attorney General Ken Paxton after neither garnered enough support on Tuesday to avoid a runoff.
But Republicans also believe they cannot allow Talarico’s campaign to go unchallenged due to the intraparty fight. They are highlighting polling showing him as a stronger competitor than Crockett, part of an attempt to convince President Donald Trump to get off the sidelines and endorse Cornyn. On Wednesday, Trump said he would be issuing an endorsement in the race “soon.”
In a statement, a spokesman for Talarico suggested the attacks were evidence that his campaign is a threat to Republicans in November.
“John Cornyn, Ken Paxton and the billionaires who prop them up are scared of James Talarico for good reason: our campaign is building a movement poised to change the politics of this state and take power back for working people,” spokesman JT Ennis said. “While they lob stale attacks, we are uniting the people of Texas to win in November.”
Talarico’s allies are also circulating Cornyn’s January description of him as “dangerous” due to his fundraising prowess and position in the polls.
JAMES TALARICO BESTS JASMINE CROCKETT IN TEXAS SENATE PRIMARY
Talarico has not shied away from progressive views despite running in a socially conservative state that Trump won by 14 points in 2024. But he has fused those views with a message that emphasizes civility and his Christian background. Talarico, 36, is a Presbyterian seminarian.
Past Democratic attempts to appeal to conservative and independent voters have fallen flat in Texas, where Republicans have held every statewide office since 1994. But Republicans are mindful of the high turnout Democrats witnessed on Tuesday, describing the political environment as a threat to Republicans’ chances of holding the seat.
“We need to nominate somebody who attracts voters all across the state of Texas, and that’s John Cornyn,” said Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY), the No. 2 Senate Republican. “So I’m 100% behind John Cornyn in the runoff.”
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