President Donald Trump released a five-minute video Saturday attacking Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico and renewing his endorsement of Republican nominee Ken Paxton, mixing policy criticism with unsubstantiated personal claims about Talarico’s diet and a 12-day absence from the campaign trail.
In an accompanying post on Twitter/X, Trump called Talarico “TalaFREAKO,” a “Radical Left Lunatic” and the “ANTITHESIS of Texas Values,” while calling Paxton “the Greatest Attorney General in the History of Texas” and giving him his “Complete and Total Endorsement.”
James TalaFREAKO is a Radical Left Lunatic and Vegan who is the ANTITHESIS of Texas Values. Ken Paxton is the Greatest Attorney General in the History of Texas, and has my Complete and Total Endorsement to be the next U.S. Senator from Texas — HE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!
In the video, Trump accused Talarico of favoring open borders, supporting restrictions on gun ownership, and making past remarks he characterized as insulting to God and to men and women generally. He pointed to comments Talarico made before entering statewide politics as evidence of the Democrat’s views.
Trump also spent part of the video discussing Talarico’s eating habits.
“One thing not that important, but he’s a vegan. He was always a vegan. He never had meat in his life. Now he’s trying to stuff meat down his throat, and it’s not working. He gets sick every time he eats meat.”
Talarico has denied being vegan, and Trump offered no evidence to support his claim about the candidate’s reaction to eating meat. Trump also referenced a 12-day stretch during which Talarico was reportedly absent from the campaign trail, mocking the campaign’s explanation that he had a prolonged flu and suggesting without evidence that something else was behind it.
Beyond those claims, Trump’s video focused on policy, criticizing Talarico’s positions on border security, the Second Amendment, and transgender medical procedures for minors. He also defended Paxton’s record as attorney general, citing the office’s work with the Trump administration on immigration enforcement, COVID-19 restrictions, and election disputes.
“Ken Paxton was a great and is a great Attorney General, and he deserves to be your next senator. He will represent you so well. You won’t have to worry about what’s going to come out of his thought process, what’s going to come out of his mouth.”
Money and the Polls
The financial gap between the two campaigns remains wide. Talarico’s campaign announced raising $64 million in the third quarter, which it says is a record for a Senate candidate in that period. Paxton and affiliated committees reported raising $18 million over the same stretch.
Outside Republican groups have spent more than $175 million since September 1 backing Paxton or attacking Talarico, according to AdImpact. Despite that spending, FiftyPlusOne’s polling average shows Talarico leading Paxton 48.5 percent to 45.2 percent.
A Democrat has not won a Texas Senate seat since 1988, but Talarico’s fundraising and current polling lead suggest Paxton faces a competitive race heading into the midterms.
A Fight Within the Party
Trump’s video follows sharper remarks he made days earlier targeting Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) and GOP strategist Karl Rove, whom he accused of undermining Paxton’s candidacy. On Truth Social, Trump wrote: “Sadly, and very stupidly, John Cornyn, and his Liddle’ Buddy, Super RINO, Karl Rove, are doing everything possible to make it hard for Ken Paxton to win.” He added: “If Ken Paxton loses, it will be because of WEAK and INEFFECTIVE Political Hacks like John Cornyn and Karl Rove, who have ineffectively opposed me for my entire political career.”
Cornyn lost the Republican primary to Paxton after Trump endorsed Paxton. Rove has said he plans to vote Democrat in another Texas race and spent September publicly criticizing Trump’s immigration enforcement on television.
With the general election approaching, Trump’s video marks his most direct public appeal yet for Texas Republicans to unify behind Paxton against Talarico.
