By David French
Robert Jeffress, senior pastor of First Baptist Dallas, declared at the Republican midterm convention that James Talarico's beliefs are "blasphemous" and "evil." Talarico, running for Senate in Texas, could become the first Democrat to win a Senate election in the state since Lloyd Bentsen in 1988. Republicans are escalating rhetoric against Talarico, calling him a heretic and a "wolf in sheep's clothing." President Trump has dubbed him "Talafreako," while right-wing podcasts increasingly attack Talarico rather than mention Trump.
Talarico, a seminarian on leave from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, is running one of the most faith-forward campaigns in the country, akin to Raphael Warnock's successful Senate runs in Georgia. Democrats are working to close the "God gap" that has favored Republicans since the 1970s.
Talarico's liberal Christian theology makes him the "wrong kind of Christian" to many fundamentalists. His opponent is Ken Paxton, Texas attorney general, who was impeached by the Republican-led Texas House for misconduct including bribery and obstruction, though acquitted by the Texas Senate. Trump calls Paxton "the greatest attorney general in the United States of America."
The race between Paxton and Talarico could be the most consequential in the country. A Democratic win in Texas would be monumental, as Trump won the state by more than 13 points in 2024, and no Democrat has won statewide office in over three decades.
Source: New York Times Top Stories · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing