Texas Senate Candidate’s Stance on Transgender Issues Under Scrutiny

James Talarico, the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate in Texas, reiterated on September 13 that his position on transgender matters “hasn’t changed,” according to an undercover video that surfaced. The footage, recorded at Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church in Houston, featured Talarico responding to a woman, posing as a supporter, who inquired about defending her “niece who is trans” regarding participation in women’s sports.

Talarico expressed his commitment to carry his legislative record into the Senate, stating, “Always. The way I fought for trans kids in the legislature is how I will fight for them in the U.S. Senate. And my position hasn’t changed.”

He also noted that decisions about transgender sports eligibility should be made locally, asserting that his stance remains the most inclusive among the candidates. “I still think these should be local decisions, sport by sport, athlete by athlete, and I think I have the most inclusive policy of any candidate who’s running,” he remarked. “So I know things are getting clipped and stuff, but my views, my position hasn’t changed.”

Interestingly, just four days prior, Talarico had stated in an interview with Fox News that he opposed transgender athletes participating in girls’ sports if it compromised safety or fairness. “Every sport has to be safe and fair,” he said, emphasizing his concerns about the implications of such participation.

During that interview, he also walked back previous claims about the existence of six biological sexes and committed to supporting a national ban on gender-transition surgeries for minors. Talarico had voted against the Texas law that restricted these procedures and had also opposed tying school athletes to the sex on their birth certificates. He previously characterized such restrictions as part of a “Christofascism movement.”

In response to Talarico’s shifting tone, Jennifer Miranda, a manager with Texas Together and the Texas Democratic Party, suggested that this approach seemed strategic. In additional footage, she remarked, “Right now he’s trying to target a wider net, which unfortunately means being more palatable to Republicans here in Texas. He does believe the things that he’s said before.”

Rev. Babs Miller, a minister at Talarico’s longtime church in Austin, predicted he might revert to his original views after the election.

Madison Cercy, a spokesperson for the Paxton campaign, used the footage to reinforce claims about Talarico’s record. “James Talarico can’t outrun his own radical record, and this bombshell video proves it,” she stated, pointing out that Talarico himself acknowledged his position “hasn’t changed.”

This revelation comes alongside separate undercover footage obtained by Breitbart News, showcasing Talarico’s pastor and mentor, Rev. Jim Rigby, in discussions with atheists. Talarico’s matchup in November is against Republican Ken Paxton.