FIRST ON FOX: Top Democratic candidate James Talarico, who is running for U.S. Senate in Texas, is facing criticism for suggesting concerns about biological males in girls' sports are a "far-right conspiracy."
Since rising to the national stage, Talarico, a member of the Texas House of Representatives, has faced intense criticism for his history of highly controversial, progressive statements and policy positions.
Now, the latest Talarico controversy stems from an unearthed 2021 interview with Fox 7 Austin in which he referenced "trans children" in sports. Talarico was being interviewed about Democrats fleeing the state to block a special legislative session. During the interview, he accused Republican Gov. Greg Abbott of filling the special session with "far-right conspiracy theories about trans children causing problems on sports teams, which we know does not occur in the state of Texas."
He also knocked Abbott for including critical race theory in the legislative agenda, which he said, "We know is not being taught in the state of Texas."
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"If we were focused on actual issues, that would be one thing, but we're not," said Talarico.
Zach Kraft, a spokesperson for the Republican National Committee, ripped into Talarico over the statement, saying, "James Talarico calls parents 'conspiracy theorists' for not wanting him to talk to kids about getting a sex change or how 'little White boys' are domestic terror threats."
Kraft told Fox News Digital that "once again, James Talarico is proving that he is a creep who has zero chance of winning in a red state like Texas."
In 2021, Texas passed a bill banning biological males from competing in K-12 girls' sports. The bill was signed into law by Abbott. Two years later, Texas expanded the policy, passing the "Save Women's Sports Act," which banned biological men from competing in women's sports at the collegiate level.
Talarico voted against both the K-12 and collegiate sports bills. He also voted against a bill to ban sex change surgeries for children, asserting that "gender-affirming care is not child abuse."
While debating the bill on the Texas House floor in 2021, he made one of his most controversial comments, asserting that "God is both masculine and feminine and everything in between. God is non-binary."
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Talarico was also recently mocked for a "creepy" comment he made on a podcast about loving transgender children.
During a 2023 episode of "A Superbloom Podcast," Talarico was asked by host Candice King, "What is something that you love, other than family and friends?"
Talarico responded, "I love, I'm just saying this because it's on my mind, the trans children who showed up yesterday at the state Capitol to advocate for their humanity." He added that "they shouldn't have to, but it was an inspiration to watch."
Sen. Tim Sheehy, R-Mont., ripped into Talarico, calling him a "creepy goofball."
Women's sports activist Riley Gaines wrote, "James Talarico loves 'trans kids' so much that he advocates for them to cut off healthy, functioning body parts. Quite the display of love."
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Talarico has also been an advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion, co-authoring legislation in 2021 to teach DEI in Texas schools. In promoting the bill, Talarico argued that "radicalized White men are the greatest domestic terror threat."
"There but for the grace of God go I," he wrote in a tweet, continuing, "As a white man, I'm susceptible to the same radicalization. Thankfully, I was exposed to diversity at a young age and explicitly taught the values of equality, inclusion, and justice. But not every young white boy is so lucky."
The day a Texas anti-DEI bill took effect, Talarico tweeted, "Texas teachers can't talk about race," calling it "a dark day in our state's history."
Talarico's campaign declined to comment.
