Texas Senate Candidate James Talarico Names Alyssa Edwards as Favorite Drag Queen

<p>Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico named Alyssa Edwards as his favorite drag queen during a campaign event. Edwards has publicly described himself as a drag performer who works with children.</p><p>Talarico's comments on sexuality and gender issues have been a point of contention in the Senate race, including his statement that "God is nonbinary" and his praise for Texas having some of the best drag queens in the nation.</p><p>In a video from the event, a man approached Talarico and mentioned he was present when Talarico defended drag performances. The man asked, "Who’s your favorite drag queen in Texas?" to which Talarico replied, "Oh, my gosh. Probably Alyssa Edwards."</p><p>This exchange follows a report by the Washington Free Beacon about a 2021 event called "Taylor PRIDE" in Taylor, Texas, where an 11-year-old boy performed in drag under the name Kween Kee Kee.</p><p>Alyssa Edwards, whose real name is Justin Dwayne Lee Johnson, is known for advocating for youth drag shows. Johnson stated in an interview with Out magazine that sharing the stage with his dance students at World Pride in New York was one of the most powerful moments of his life.</p><p>Johnson's work with young dancers was also featured in the 2018 Netflix docuseries "Dancing Queen," where he referred to a 10-year-old male student as his "mini-me" during an episode.</p><p>A spokesperson for Talarico responded to criticism by redirecting attention to his Republican opponent, stating, "James’ favorite performer is Ken Paxton — who dresses up as attorney general while giving sweetheart deals to child sex predators," according to Talarico campaign spokesperson JT Ennis.</p><p>When asked about his previous comments on gender, Talarico acknowledged that he "missed the mark on some of my past statements" and noted that he no longer believes there are six sexes. He suggested that discussions about his comments are a diversion from other issues, such as rising diesel prices.</p>