Dallas – In a televised interview with Fox News on Wednesday, Democratic U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico announced a shift in his position on pediatric gender‑treatment athletes competing in girls’ sports. Talarico said he will oppose their participation “if it endangers safety or fairness,” citing his background as a former public‑school teacher and his concern for student‑athletes.
From opposition to restriction
While serving as a state representative, Talarico voted against two Republican‑backed bills that would have barred male‑identified athletes from playing on women’s teams. He previously argued that such measures amounted to “policing people’s private parts” and would harm “the least of these,” referencing Jesus’ teaching in Scripture. He also likened the rationale for those bans to historic attempts to exclude Black athletes from professional competition.
New rationale and campaign context
Speaking on Fox News, Talarico explained, “Every sport has to be safe and fair. As a former public school teacher, I care a lot about our student athletes, I care a lot about our students. And so I will oppose pediatric gender‑treatment athletes playing in girls’ sports if it risks safety or fairness.” The interview coincided with a national GOP midterm convention in Dallas, where Republican candidates are rallying their base ahead of the November elections.
Clarifying past statements on gender
Talarico also addressed a 2021 comment in which he said there were six genders. When asked if he still held that view, he said, “No. I missed the mark on some of my past statements. What I meant is there are two sexes and there’s a small percentage of people with genetic abnormalities. Obviously I didn’t say it correctly. There are not six sexes, there are two.”
Republican reaction
Republican Senate nominee Ken Paxton, who posted on X, called Talarico’s new stance “contrary to his legislative record” and labeled it another “flip‑flop” in a series of alleged lies. Paxton’s campaign highlighted Talarico’s earlier votes against the two bills and accused him of supporting a “far‑right conspiracy theory.”
Talarico’s own response to criticism
In a prior CBS interview, Talarico acknowledged regret over some past remarks, saying, “There are some statements that I’ve made that I certainly regret.” He added that Paxton was “intentionally clipping my cringey comments to distract from his career of corruption.”
Policy nuance and campaign messaging
Earlier in the Senate race, Talarico argued that decisions about pediatric gender‑treatment athletes should be left to local school and sports officials. On The Ezra Klein Show in January, he said, “There are going to be rules where sometimes it’s not allowed. That’s actually how you solve a public policy problem with love for trans folks but also for our athletes, who need a fair shot at competition.”
Faith‑based framing
Campaign spokesperson JT Ennis told Spectrum News that Talarico’s stance is rooted in his Christian faith, noting that “every child is made in the image of God.” Ennis added that while Talarico opposes discrimination, he believes the issue of pediatric gender‑treatment athletes is being used by some politicians as a distraction from economic concerns tied to billionaire influence.
Looking ahead
As the Senate race tightens, Talarico’s reversal on this culturally charged issue may influence moderate and conservative voters in Texas, a state that has not elected a Democrat to statewide office since 1994. The upcoming November election will test whether his blend of faith‑based rhetoric, populist economics, and newly articulated sports‑policy position can sway enough voters to break that historic streak.
Original reporting: Texas Tribune (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
