Overview
- President Trump targeted James Talarico in a Truth Social post Sunday, calling him a “FRAUD” and citing “six genders,” “insults to Jesus,” vegan food, and mask wearing as knocks.
- Snopes on Tuesday confirmed Trump’s wording and traced the line about an “insult to Jesus” to a March 13 Fox News Radio interview, noting he repeated the charge in the weekend post.
- Republicans are amplifying old clips, including a 2022 speech where Talarico said his statehouse bid had become a “non‑meat” campaign to support vegan vendors, and the NRSC, the Senate GOP’s campaign arm, is selling vegan‑mocking shirts.
- Talarico denies being vegan and shared a photo of himself eating a turkey leg, while GOP critics also highlight his 2021 remark that modern science recognizes more than two biological sexes.
- The GOP nominee will emerge from a May runoff between Sen. John Cornyn and Attorney General Ken Paxton, Trump has not endorsed, and Democrats have not won a Texas statewide race since 1994 even as Talarico’s team touts an internal poll.