I am so Confused
Segment #1033
Below are the principal word-for-word statements by James Talerico that subsequently drew public criticism, together with the date, venue, and immediate context. But I am very confused last night he was on Fox and disavowed many of these positions. If I am liberal, he is a traitor to our cause. If I am a conservative he is a blatant pandering shallow Beta male trying to survive in Texas.
1. “White skin” and the “virus of racism”
Date: May 8, 2020
Venue: Talarico’s social-media account
Context: Written following the killing of Ahmaud Arbery.
“White skin gives me and every white American immunity from the virus. But we spread it wherever we go—through our words, our actions, and our systems. We don’t have to be showing symptoms—like a white hood or a Confederate flag—to be contagious.” “The only cure is diagnosing the virus within ourselves and taking dramatic actions to contain the spread.”
The remarks were later criticized by Gov. Greg Abbott, Sen. Ted Cruz and other Republicans. Contemporaneous wording and subsequent criticism
2. “God is nonbinary”
Date: 2021, during the Texas Legislature’s consideration of transgender-athletics legislation
Venue: Texas House floor
Context: Talarico was opposing legislation restricting transgender students’ participation in school athletics.
“The first two lines in Genesis use two different Hebrew words to describe God. One of them is the masculine Hebrew noun for divinity. The second is the feminine Hebrew noun for spirit.” “God is both masculine and feminine and everything in between. God is nonbinary.”
This statement was subsequently criticized by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Ken Paxton and other Republican officials. Quotation and legislative context
3. “There are six” biological sexes
Date: September 2021
Venue: Texas House Public Education Committee hearing
Context: Questioning a witness during consideration of legislation governing transgender students’ participation in school sports.
“Modern science obviously recognizes that there are many more than two biological sexes.” …“In fact, there are six, which honestly surprised me too.”He then identified chromosomal combinations including XX, XY, single X, XXY, XYY and XXXY and said: “There are six really common biological sexes.”…“The point is that, biologically speaking, scientifically speaking, sex is a spectrum and oftentimes can be very ambiguous.”
These statements became a recurring subject of Republican criticism. On September 9, 2026, On Fox News Talarico withdrew the claim, saying:
“I’ve missed the mark on some of my past statements. I will be the first to admit it.” “What I meant is that there are two sexes, and then there’s a small percentage of people with genetic abnormalities.” “Obviously, I didn’t say it correctly. There are not six sexes. There are two.”
4. “White straight guy” and inherited “blinders”
Date: September 19, 2022
Venue: Go Behind the Ballot podcast
Context: Discussion of legislators’ personal experiences and their ability to understand people with different backgrounds.
“I know that because I, as a white straight guy, you know, have the same limitations, those same blinders. Thankfully, I’ve been able to have some experiences and relationships that have helped take off some of those same blinders.” …“But a lot of my colleagues still have, you know, the full set that they were born with. And so the challenge is, how do you lift those blinders for folks?”
5. Christianity and abortion
Date: July 2025
Venue: The Joe Rogan Experience, Episode 2352
Context: Discussion of whether Christianity and the Bible require opposition to abortion.
“The idea that there is a set Christian orthodoxy on the issue of abortion is just not rooted in Scripture.” The remark was criticized by Dan Patrick and other religious conservatives.
6. Christian nationalists’ version of Jesus
Date: 2023
Venue: Guest sermon addressing Christian nationalism
Context: Talarico was describing what he considered the political transformation of Christianity.
“They have turned Jesus into a gun-toting, gay-bashing, science-denying, money-loving, fear-mongering fascist.”..“The worship of power—social power, economic power, political power—in the name of Christ.” “There’s nothing Christian about Christian nationalism.”
7. ICE funding
Date: January 24, 2026
Venue: Democratic U.S. Senate primary debate
Context: Candidates were asked whether they supported abolishing or defunding Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Talarico said:
“We have seen this historic increase in funding for ICE.“That money has come out of health care. So what I would say is that we should take that money and put it back in our communities, where it belongs.” “It’s time to tear down this secret police force and replace it with an agency that actually is going to focus on public safety.” “We have seen this historic increase in funding for ICE. That money has come out of health care. So what I would say is that we should take that money and put it back in our communities, where it belongs.” They say it’s about law and order, but they’re waiting outside courthouses arresting people who are following the law and showing up for immigration hearings.”
“They say it’s about the economy, but they’re deporting the very people who keep our economy running.”
“This has never been about immigration; it has always been about control.”
8. Undocumented students as his “most patriotic” students
Date: March 19, 2026
Venue: The Bulwark Podcast
Context: Talarico was discussing students he taught on the west side of San Antonio.
“Before I was a politician, I was a public school teacher in San Antonio, Texas, on the west side of the city, and I taught a lot of undocumented students, and those students tended to be my most patriotic students.” “They understood something about this country that a lot of us who are native born forget—that this is supposed to be the land of opportunity, that this is supposed to be the place where dreams come true.” “They believed in this country, even when this country didn’t believe in them.” During the interview, he called the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown: “Immoral” and “unconscionable.”
9. Universal basic income
Date: January 24, 2026
Venue: Democratic U.S. Senate primary debate
Context: Discussion of government programs intended to address economic insecurity.
“I’m very encouraged by some pilot programs of universal basic income.”
10. Southern border as a “front porch”
Date: September 26, 2025
Venue: Interview concerning immigration and his Senate campaign
Context: Talarico was describing his preferred combination of legal immigration and border enforcement.
“We should treat our southern border like our front porch. We should have a giant welcome mat out front, and we should have the lock on the door.”
Republican advertisements and commentators later highlighted the “giant welcome mat” portion of the statement. Associated Press discussion of the criticism
11. Israel and Gaza
Date: September 2025
Venue: Interviews surrounding the announcement of his Senate candidacy
Context: Discussion of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza and American military assistance.
Talarico referred to:
“Israel’s atrocities in Palestine.” He also accused Israel of committing: “War crimes.”
He stated that he opposed American assistance supporting offensive operations and favored stopping sales of offensive weapons to Israel. These positions drew criticism from pro-Israel organizations and Republicans.
12. Supreme Court expansion
Date: September 9, 2026
Venue: Fox News interview
Context: Asked what changes he would support concerning the United States Supreme Court.
“You’re going to expect that I will vote for an overhaul to the Supreme Court.” “That will include binding codes of conduct for our justices. It’ll include term limits, and I am open to a discussion about expanding the number of justices.”
Hilarious
Is Talaerico a vegetarian? I don’t know and I don’t care. Did Talaerico blow lunch after eating meat after shooting a TV commercial? I don’t know and I don’t care. What is true is this: The controversy started when opponents unearthed a 2022 video from a state House reelection campaign event, where Talarico spoke to the Texas Humane Legislation Network. In the clip, he argued that reducing meat consumption was an important step for animal welfare and fighting climate change, noting that his campaign at the time was buying vegan products from local businesses. For the senate race Talerico was freaked out and that’s why he shot the commercial eating meat. He is a whore and will be all things to all people. Now that’s hilarious watching a beta male eating meat for all the wrong reasons in the state of Texas.