Texas Senate Democratic nominee James Talarico sat face-to-face with voters as he was grilled on a wide range of topics, including abortion, antisemitism, the SAVE America Act, the national debt, transgender surgeries for minors, and his faith during a CNN town hall on Wednesday evening.
Talarico engaged in a debate with six voters from across the political spectrum, with each coming to the stage to sit down across the table from the candidate.
The conversations remained cordial, despite vehement disagreements at times, with Talarico and the voters engaging in polite small talk before delving into, at times, heavy topics.
The discussion began with a question about abortion from a Catholic professor, who suggested she was a single-issue voter on the issue of life. Talarico outlined ways both parties could come together to find solutions.
“If we can join together to make sure that we have scientifically valid sex education, age-appropriate sex education, if we can make sure that folks who need contraception can get it, if we can make sure that everyone has healthcare, something the Catholic Church has led on, then we know that that reduces the number of abortions because you can look at the research and you see that certain policy levers like sex education, like healthcare can actually reduce the number of abortions,” he responded.
The attendees also peppered Talarico with questions about voter ID and the national debt. Talarico said he supports voter ID as long as it is “fair.” When asked about the rising national debt, he pointed to “closing billionaire loopholes” and criticized Republicans’ One Big Beautiful Bill Act and the war in Iran as contributors to the growing debt.
“This big ugly bill that was passed a year ago gave $3 trillion in tax cuts to the top 1% people who don’t need it,” Talarico said. “Nothing against the top 1%, but they don’t need any help, and that money could go toward closing the deficit and tackling the debt. And then I’ll mention one more: We can close the deficit and tackle the debt by ending this disastrous war in Iran that is costing us $1 billion a day.”
Talarico also addressed previous comments he has walked back when a Republican voter pressed him on his faith. When a woman asked whether he believed the Bible was the authoritative word of God, he immediately responded, “Yes.”
He told the woman, who expressed concerns over Talarico previously calling God “nonbinary,” that it’s “OK if you and I have disagreements about our interpretations of Scripture — or certainly about political and policy topics. That should be encouraged, not discouraged. And we can do that as we’re called to do in Scripture.”
On his previous comment about God being nonbinary, Talarico said he “was being provocative and I want to admit that and come clean about that. But I think what I was saying is actually not controversial theologically, the idea that we can’t define God using human categories. Not only did I say that, but the late Charlie Kirk said that, the late Pope Benedict said that.”
“And so, yes, I was doing it maybe in an annoying way. I can admit that,” Talarico conceded.
He also engaged with a voter who believed government should not be involved in someone’s decision to receive “gender-affirming surgeries,” even if that person is a minor. Talarico said in a recent interview with Fox News that he did not support transgender surgeries for minors, and he reaffirmed that position Wednesday night.
Talarico concluded the debate portion of the town hall by taking a firm stance against antisemitism while maintaining his criticism of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“I have stood by Jewish leaders in central Texas against antisemitism,” he said. “I’ve stood against hate in all its forms, because I believe that all of us should feel welcome here in Texas, no matter our religious beliefs.”
“As a former teacher, seeing the death and the destruction in Gaza, seeing what’s happening to children in particular, makes me sick to my stomach,” he added.
TALARICO SAYS HE WOULDN’T CHANGE HOW HE HANDLED NINE-DAY FLU ABSENCE
His Republican opponent, Attorney General Ken Paxton, was largely an afterthought during the 90-minute forum, with voters instead probing Talarico on his own policy positions. At the end of the town hall, Talarico mentioned Paxton by name, calling him the “most corrupt politician in Texas.” The two remained locked in a tight race as early voting nears with Talarico having a slight edge in most polls.
“Ken Paxton has increased his net worth by $27 million,” Talarico concluded. “He now owns 15 homes, while most Texans can’t afford one, he has taken bribes from wealthy special interests, including half a million dollars from data center companies. All while he sells us out when he makes public policy, we cannot afford Ken Paxton’s corruption.”
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[ H/T Washington Examiner ]
