Republicans accused James Talarico of wanting to “drag down Texas” on Tuesday after the Democratic Senate candidate was filmed naming his favorite drag queen almost instantly.
Talarico, who has repeatedly praised and defended Texas drag performers, was asked at a campaign event to name his favorite. He answered within a second: “Oh my gosh, probably Alyssa Edwards.”
The video was posted Monday by the Republican National Committee’s RNC Research account on X. It quickly went viral, prompting a wave of criticism from Republicans.
“James Talarico wants to drag down Texas,” the National Republican Senatorial Committee wrote on social media. The post also cited a 2023 comment in which Talarico said the Lone Star State produces “some of the best drag queens in the nation.”
Vice President JD Vance joined the online reaction by sharing an image of the knowing side-eye he gave viewers during his 2024 vice presidential debate with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. The expression has since become a widely used meme.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, Talarico’s Republican opponent in the Senate race, said the Democrat’s rapid response showed he was “too weird and too radical for Texas.”
“What normal person can name their favorite drag queen this quickly?” Paxton wrote on X. “When James Talarico isn’t advocating for children to dress in drag, he’s watching drag performances and saying that Texas produces the best drag queens.”
White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller also criticized the Texas Democrat in an X post, using the nickname President Trump has recently employed to disparage Talarico.
“Talafreako is a deeply sick and disturbed individual,” Miller wrote.
Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, also weighed in on X, arguing that it was “completely bizarre for any ‘man’ to be able to instantly name their ‘favorite drag queen,’ let alone the name of any drag queen at all.”
Edwards, the drag performer named by Talarico, responded to the controversy by thanking the Senate candidate for his support.
“Your favorite politician’s favorite Drag Queen,” Edwards wrote on X. “Thank you [James Talarico] for recognizing that the arts have a purpose and a home right here in the Lone Star State. Matthew 7:1 #ProudTexan”
Talarico’s campaign did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.
