Republicans want to talk about James Talarico’s manhood. Talarico says let them.
Democrats’ hopes to flip the Senate may hinge on the Texas candidate’s strategy to win back male voters.
James Talarico, a Democratic candidate in a crucial Texas Senate race, is responding to Republicans' attempts to question his masculinity. The GOP challenger Ken Paxton and Republicans have targeted Talarico for past statements endorsing veganism, suggesting God is nonbinary, and opposing transgender rights legislation. Talarico counters these attacks by emphasizing issues he believes men care about, such as lowering housing costs and curbing billionaire influence in politics.
He has also challenged Paxton to televised "mano-a-mano" faceoffs to prove his masculinity. Despite the Republicans' efforts, Talarico's campaign sees no evidence that the masculinity attacks are gaining traction, as they are seeing strong Democratic gains among Hispanic voters. Talarico maintains that real men serve others, not themselves, and argues that Paxton's behavior is more of a distraction than a valid concern for voters.
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