He’s indulging in barbecue, gaining favor with Joe Rogan, and challenging his rival to face-to-face televised debates.
James Talarico, a Texas Democrat, is determined not to let the GOP, led by his challenger Ken Paxton, define him through attacks on his masculinity. This tactic has become one of the Republican party’s loudest strategies in the pivotal Senate race.
Talarico aims to present himself as a candidate focused on issues he believes matter to men, rather than allowing speculation about his diet, sexuality, and religious beliefs to dominate the narrative.
“They’ve even called me a vegan, and those are fighting words in the state of Texas,” Talarico remarked at a San Antonio rally this summer.
“Nowadays our culture tells young men that greatness is tearing other people down, is trolling and owning and dominating. But my dad showed me what real greatness looks like. He inspired me to serve,” Talarico said at another rally in Houston, highlighting how his father helped an elderly neighbor by mowing her lawn.
Talarico’s strategy to tackle the masculinity narrative head-on could be key in flipping a Senate seat Democrats have not held in nearly forty years, potentially determining Senate control in the upcoming year.
This battle unfolds as both parties, in Texas and nationwide, vie for male voters—particularly young, Black, or Hispanic men—who in 2024 shifted towards Republicans, aiding their control of the White House and Congress. The discussion around masculinity has intensified during Donald Trump’s second term, with the president hosting UFC fights on the White House lawn and his Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth advocating for testosterone tests in the military.
If Talarico succeeds, he could serve as a model for other Democrats to connect with male voters or counter Republicans using masculinity issues as a weapon.
“Democrats need to be prepared for more of these attacks to come and understand how to handle them,” Lucas Holtz, a senior political adviser at the centrist think tank Third Way, commented in an interview.
Republicans believe they have struck a chord with Texas voters regarding Talarico’s masculinity. The 37-year-old former public school teacher turned state legislator has been targeted for past remarks endorsing a vegan lifestyle, suggesting that “God is nonbinary,” and opposing legislation that undermines transgender rights.
“If you look at him, this is a guy who’s publicly stated pretty bizarre things — that God is nonbinary,” said Rep. Brandon Gill (R-Texas) in an interview. “He’s a total weirdo, and I think Texas voters recognize that.”
Talarico clarified recently that his comment about God’s gender was intended to be “deliberately provocative,” meaning God is beyond gender.
Republicans are also highlighting Talarico’s unmarried status and smaller physical stature, portraying him as weak and effeminate. Some have falsely labeled him as gay or transgender. Paxton’s first campaign ad implied Talarico has low testosterone levels. Additionally, a conservative PAC released an AI-generated video portraying Talarico as a character from “The Sound of Music” singing about giving hormones to children.
Talarico opposes gender-affirming care for minors, according to his spokesperson JT Ennis.
“In Texas, there’s a certain level of tough guy-ness that we all pretend to have in ourselves, and that we like in our elected officials,” said Vinny Minchillo, a Texas-based Republican ad maker not involved in the race. “If you push that the right direction, that especially does not sit well with Hispanic men and Black men.”
Paxton’s campaign and his allies believe Talarico’s previous comments on these issues disconnect him from voters in both parties.
“Texans can spot an audition for a new identity and they know he is weak and woke on core Texas values,” said Paxton adviser Nick Maddux. Maddux pointed to Talarico’s campaign moves, such as wearing a Texas flag shirt after calling the American flag a “complicated symbol.”
“He is undoubtedly hurting Democrats,” Republican Texas Sen. Ted Cruz said in an interview regarding Talarico.
Some Democrats on Capitol Hill assert that Republican focus on Talarico’s masculinity is a diversion from Paxton’s vulnerabilities.
“They fear his strength, especially since he’s running against the most notorious scumbag in American politics,” Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) stated.
Paxton has faced an ethics complaint that was later dropped, a Justice Department corruption investigation for which he was not charged, and securities fraud charges dismissed by an agreement. He was also impeached by the Texas GOP-led House for bribery and misuse of public office, which he called a “sham” orchestrated by liberals and was later acquitted by the Texas Senate.
Paxton has a history of leveraging cultural issues, including stoking anti-Muslim fears in campaign messaging.
Meanwhile, Talarico’s campaign reports no indication that the masculinity jabs are making an impact, pointing to robust Democratic gains among Hispanic voters and claiming polls show a toss-up general election race. The campaign did not provide specific data to substantiate that its messaging to male voters was improving Talarico’s polling with that group.
Talarico has concentrated on issues affecting many men—like reducing housing costs, stopping corporate landlord rent manipulation, and limiting the influence of billionaire mega-donors in politics.
“Ken Paxton is picking these fights no one cares about to distract from the fact that he has no solutions to lower the cost of gas, groceries, or healthcare,” Ennis said. “Real men serve others, weak men serve themselves.”
Talarico has also sought to engage young men and Hispanic voters by placing ads during World Cup and NBA Finals games. He’s challenging Paxton to a series of televised debates focused on masculinity and other issues. Paxton’s team said he has agreed to the debates, though logistics and terms are still under negotiation.
Talarico’s campaign is also working to create opportunities similar to his noteworthy appearance on Joe Rogan’s podcast last year, which enhanced his national profile among Rogan’s young male audience. The podcaster—who exclaimed during the interview “you need to run for president” to Talarico—continues to praise the Texas Democrat and defend his views, including in a conversation with Vice President JD Vance last month.
Talarico has countered with his own retorts. He responded to Paxton’s “Talafreako” comment by printing the phrase on T-shirts for sale on his campaign site.
Additionally, Talarico dismissed Paxton’s low-testosterone remarks by telling MS NOW, “I don’t think guys my age are really concerned about that kind of thing,” and added, “You’ve got these old guys lathered up in their fake tans throwing cheesy nicknames at each other.”
Public opinion research suggests Talarico’s approach aligns with the current political climate in 2026.
The escalating cost-of-living crisis—aggravated by the unpopular military conflict in Iran—and Trump’s declining approval ratings might render the GOP’s masculinity attacks ineffective this cycle, according to Luke Warford, founder and director of Texas Public Opinion Research, a nonpartisan public opinion research firm.
The main concerns for men and young men in Texas are affordability, cost of living, economic growth, and job creation, according to aggregate data shared with POLITICO from the group’s latest surveys in May and June.
“We’ve got a really different scenario now where the Republicans are in power in Texas and nationally, so they own the things that are broken,” Warford said. “There is a deep anti-establishment sentiment in this country and a deep frustration with the status quo particularly among men, and that could be a much stronger political force than the cultural attacks.”
Matt Angle, founder of the Lone Star Project, a Democratic-aligned political action committee in Texas, stated, “there’s no attack that should be ignored,” but emphasized that Democrats are in a strong position.
“Ken Paxton is no he-man. He’s a thin-chested, soft spoken, weak guy,” Angle remarked.
One concern for Talarico is that a segment of male voters perceives him as too progressive, said Holtz, the Third Way adviser. Holtz referred to a recent poll by the group indicating that 49 percent of male respondents labeled Talarico “too far left.”
In focus groups conducted by the centrist think tank last year and this year, young men largely viewed the Republican Party as better aligned with their priorities. Respondents associated Democrats with social and cultural issues, while linking Republicans with financial independence, finding a partner, and starting a family.
On Capitol Hill, some Democrats see the Texas discussion as a chance to address the party’s historical neglect of issues important to men, which has left them vulnerable to criticism.
Rep. Marc Veasey, a moderate Texas Democrat, said in an interview that “Democrats, overall, need to do a better job of expressing some of the concerns that young men have.”
“When we have people on our side who are attacking things like nuclear family structure and expecting everybody to fall in line, that’s pure insanity,” Veasey said. “There’s this expectation with Democrats that men are just going to follow along, and they’re not. We haven’t figured out how to talk to them.”
Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) noted in an interview that Democrats often exhibit “traditional masculinity” instead of the “stereotypical masculinity” criticized by Republicans. He highlighted his own service in the Marines, Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) playing football, and Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) being an astronaut.
“What voters know is truly masculine is a politician who is going to take care of their needs and be a protector and be a provider for the family,” Gallego added.
“When a man can’t support his family because inflation is so high, they’re not going to care about who is on the ballot that is, quote unquote, ‘not masc enough.’”
