Talarico embraces Paxton’s ‘Talafreako’ taunt with new merch line Texas Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico is adopting Attorney General Ken Paxton’s taunting nickname ‘Talafreako’ and selling T-shirts with the slogan. Paxton has been using nicknames like ‘Tofu Talarico’ and ‘James Talafreako’ to attack Talarico over past comments about gender and his veganism. Talarico acknowledges some of his past statements were out of touch but believes Paxton is using them to distract from his own ethical issues.

• James Talarico, the Democratic Senate nominee in Texas, is embracing the nickname ‘Talafreako’ given by Attorney General Ken Paxton.
• Talarico’s campaign is selling T-shirts with the slogan ‘I’m a Talafreako’.
• Republicans have targeted Talarico for past comments, including ‘God is nonbinary’ and claims of ‘six sexes’.
• Talarico stated that his comments were being weaponized to distract from Paxton’s ethical issues.
• He also addressed claims of being a vegan in Texas, calling them ‘fighting words’.