EXCLUSIVE: Ken Paxton Says ‘Texans Deserve The Truth’ About ‘Hypocrite’ Talarico

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s Senate campaign is launching a new television ad targeting Democratic challenger James Talarico’s record, accusing the state representative of attempting to reinvent himself for a statewide audience while hiding his leftist past.

The new ad, titled “Hypocrite,” will air during the Texas Democratic Convention in Corpus Christi, where the event is scheduled to take place from June 25 through the 27. The ad focuses on what the Paxton campaign describes as a growing disconnect between Talarico’s current messaging and his legislative record.

“James Talarico is a hypocrite when it comes to fighting for families,” the narrator says in the ad. The commercial highlights several positions that Republicans believe could create vulnerabilities for Talarico in a statewide race, including his opposition to the Save Women’s Sports Act, criticism of the oil and gas industry, and votes against tax-cut legislation.

“Talarico wants to teach trans ideology in schools and let boys compete in girls’ sports,” the ad states. “Talarico says it’s immoral to use the oil and gas that employs millions of Texans. Talarico wants higher taxes and policies that will raise prices on families.”

The ad concludes by labeling Talarico a “hypocrite” who “will do anything to push his radical agenda, even if it leaves families broke and jobless.”

The Paxton campaign says the ad is intended to push back against what it views as an effort by Talarico to moderate his image as he seeks to appeal to a broader Texas electorate. “We will not let Talarico continue to lie to Texans,” a Paxton campaign spokesman told The Daily Wire. “He can try to reinvent himself and hide behind the liberal media all he wants, but the truth remains: at every turn, Talarico has voted against Texas families to advance his radical progressive agenda.”

“He can scrub his website and try to deny it, but Texans deserve the truth, and we’re going to make sure they hear it,” the spokesperson added.

The new ad comes as Republicans continue scrutinizing Talarico’s past comments on religion, gender, and sexuality.

As previously reported by The Daily Wire, Talarico openly credited activist theologian, and transgender identifying woman, Robyn Henderson-Espinoza, as a major intellectual influence during a 2021 podcast appearance, describing himself as a “fan boy” of the theologian’s work and praising the author’s writings for helping shape his worldview.

At the time, Talarico told Henderson-Espinoza that books such as “Activist Theology” had helped expand his understanding of politics and faith, arguing that his own “whiteness” and “masculinity” limited his imagination.

The relationship has drawn attention because Henderson-Espinoza is not simply a “progressive Christian” scholar, but a self-described “TransQueer Latinx” activist theologian who has argued that even “progressive Christianity” does not go far enough in challenging traditional institutions, doctrine, and social norms.

Henderson-Espinoza has advocated for what was described as “transing religion,” opposed legislation preventing biological males from competing in girls’ sports, and built an activist ministry centered on political organizing, social justice activism, and liberation theology.

Meanwhile, Talarico has spent months attempting to distance himself from some of his own past remarks, recently describing several previous statements as “cringey.” Those comments included claims that “God is non-binary,” suggestions that there are six biological sexes, and arguments that the Bible does not prohibit abortion.

The Paxton campaign appears determined to ensure those issues remain front and center as the Senate race intensifies.

With Democrats hoping Talarico can make the race competitive statewide, Republicans are betting that his past statements, votes, and ideological influences will make it difficult for him to successfully reposition himself as a mainstream Texas Democrat.