Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico acknowledged that his campaign trail comment about God being nonbinary was deliberately provocative, but he insisted it was rooted in established theological tradition. The remark surfaced during a CNN and Jubilee Media town hall, where a voter from his hometown of Round Rock challenged him on the statement.
Sarah Gardner, who questioned Talarico, said his phrasing had led many Christian voters to question the authenticity of his faith. Talarico responded by clarifying that his intention was to provoke thought, not to stray from orthodox Christian teaching. He pointed to figures like the late Pope Benedict XVI and the late conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, who have expressed similar ideas about the limits of human language in describing the divine.
“The first comment about God not being defined by gender, when I said that, I was being provocative,” Talarico said. “I think what I was saying is actually not controversial theologically. The idea that we can't define God using human categories.”
Gardner urged him to be more cautious when applying modern cultural terminology to discussions about God. Talarico conceded the point, comparing his approach to a preacher using shocking language in a sermon to capture attention. He admitted he was still learning how to communicate his views responsibly without muddying the message.
Faith was a recurring theme throughout the evening. Talarico described the cross as “the shape of reality” and the center of shared faith. He also addressed his pro-abortion access stance, telling an independent voter that people of good faith can disagree on the legality of abortion while finding common ground on reducing unplanned pregnancies and abortions. He framed the issue as a public health matter rather than a culture war battle, suggesting that approach could yield bipartisan progress.
Notably, Talarico did not attack his Republican opponent, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, until the closing moments of the town hall. He urged voters to evaluate his policies on their merits rather than simply reject his opponent. CNN anchor Erin Burnett noted that Paxton had been invited to participate but did not respond, a pattern consistent with his refusal to debate Talarico, despite encouragement from former President Trump.
The race remains highly competitive. Decision Desk HQ, The Hill's election partner, gives Talarico a 56 percent chance of winning against Paxton's 44 percent. Three new polls this week show Talarico ahead, a promising sign for Democrats in a state where they haven't won a Senate race since 1988 or any statewide office since 1994. The seat is open because Paxton defeated incumbent Senator John Cornyn in the May primary runoff.
Talarico's campaign has been buoyed by these numbers, and Democratic leaders are optimistic about flipping the seat in November. The town hall, which was part of a broader solo appearance by Talarico after Paxton declined to join, highlighted the stark contrast between the two candidates' approaches to engaging with voters. As the election nears, Talarico's ability to navigate faith and policy may prove decisive in a state where religious voters hold significant sway.
