Texas Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico is utilizing Attorney General Ken Paxton's nickname 'Talafreako' as the general election approaches. Paxton has recently used various nicknames for Talarico, including 'Tofu Talarico' and 'Six-gender Jimmy.' Talarico has responded by releasing a new line of T-shirts with the phrase 'I’m a Talafreako.'
Republicans have criticized Talarico for previous comments regarding gender and sexuality. Talarico acknowledged that some of his past statements may not resonate with Texas voters but argued that they are being used to divert attention from Paxton's ethical concerns. He stated, 'I missed the mark on some of those old statements, but what Ken Paxton is doing is clipping my cringey comments to distract from his career of corruption.'
Additionally, Talarico has rejected claims that he is a vegan, emphasizing his Texas roots and love for barbecue. Following Paxton's nomination, Talarico raised over $3 million within 24 hours.