Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico pushed back Wednesday night against the “crazy” health rumors that spread during his campaign and acknowledged that he had been deliberately provocative when he described God as non-binary.
Talarico, who has maintained a narrow but steady advantage over Republican opponent Ken Paxton, appeared at a nationally televised CNN town hall less than three weeks before the midterm elections.
Moderator Erin Burnett opened the event by asking him to address the “wild speculation” about his health. Talarico’s nine-day absence from the campaign trail had fueled a wave of conspiracy theories online.
“I’m doing much better. I had a nasty case of the flu. I guess I’ve shaken too many hands on the campaign trail, but I’m feeling much better and so excited to be here,” Talarico said.
Burnett followed up by asking whether the flu was the sole reason for his absence and if he would handle the situation differently in hindsight.
Talarico defended his decision, saying he had acted responsibly.
“No, I think the responsible thing to do when you have something like the flu is to stay home and not get other people sick,” the Democrat replied.
“But you’re right, that decision to stay home for a week sent my opponent and his conspiracy theorists spiraling. I opened social media and learned that I had apparently dropped out of the race, flown to a mental hospital in Ohio and died,” he added. “This is crazy. These false claims got millions of views online.”
Democratic Texas Senate hopeful James Talarico addressed the “crazy” conspiracy theories about his absence from the campaign trail and his comments describing God as “non-binary” during a CNN town hall Wednesday night.
Several right-wing figures, including failed Los Angeles mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt, promoted the baseless claim that Talarico had been sent to a mental health facility in Ohio.
The rumor quickly unraveled after the Ohio facility named in the reports, the Linder Center for Hope, publicly denied the claim.
“Conspiracy theorists can post anything they want on the internet. They get clicks. The billionaires who own the platforms get rich. We all get angry, and nobody’s life gets any better,” Talarico said.
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CNN also used a different town hall format, placing the Democrat face-to-face with voters who disagreed with him on major issues. The exchanges made for some of the evening’s most compelling television.
In one exchange, a Christian voter asked Talarico to explain his decision to refer to God as “non-binary” during a 2021 debate in the Texas Legislature.
“When I said that, I was being provocative,” Talarico responded. “I want to acknowledge that and be honest about it.”
He argued, however, that the underlying theological point was not controversial: “We can’t define God using human categories,” he said. “Not only did I say that, but the late Charlie Kirk said that. The late Pope Benedict said that.”
“So yes, maybe I expressed it in an annoying way. I can admit that,” the candidate added.
Democrat James Talarico (left) faced Christian voter Sarah Gardner (right), who questioned his decision to describe God as “non-binary.”
Under CNN’s town hall format, Democratic candidate James Talarico (right) sat across from voters who challenged his positions on major issues.
The question came from Sarah Gardner, a small-business owner who did not let the candidate’s explanation go unchallenged.
“I think we have to be careful when using modern cultural terms to talk about God,” she said.
Talarico acknowledged that her objection was “very fair criticism.”
The Democratic candidate, who serves in the Texas House of Representatives, is also studying at a seminary and has said he hopes to become a minister.
“Preachers will often say something shocking in a sermon to capture people’s attention,” he said. “That’s something I’m still learning to do responsibly. I’m always going to listen to feedback from my fellow Christians.”
