Texas Democrat James Talarico is facing fierce backlash after a resurfaced social media post about his “white skin” and racism exploded online, triggering a political firestorm just as he emerges as the Democratic nominee in a closely watched U.S. Senate race.
“White skin gives me and every white American immunity from the virus,” James Talarico’s full post by the Texas politician, read. “But we spread it wherever we go—through our words, our actions, and our systems. We don’t have to be showing symptoms—like a white hood or a Confederate flag—to be contagious.”
Meet James Talarico, Texas’ Democrat nominee for U.S. Senate.
He thinks “God is nonbinary.” pic.twitter.com/PTXKT6GdeK
— Senate Republicans (@NRSC) March 4, 2026
The 35-year-old Texas state legislator recently secured the Democratic nomination after defeating Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) in Tuesday’s primary. But the years-old message has resurfaced and quickly gone viral, leaving the newly minted Senate candidate exposed to sharp criticism from Republicans and political commentators who argue the remarks by James Talarico are racially divisive.
The post — originally shared on May 8, 2020 — described systemic racism using language that compared it to a contagious virus. In the message, James Talarico suggested that white Americans play a role in spreading racism even if they do not openly display racist symbols or behavior.
Just spoke with Steve Toth who defeated Dan Crenshaw in TX-02 Republican primary last night. He’s served with Dem. Senate nominee James Talarico in the Texas House, and held NOTHING back:
“I served with James Talarico from 2019 to today. This guy is as evil as they come. There… pic.twitter.com/5JdOU5y074
— Andrew Kolvet (@AndrewKolvet) March 4, 2026
Republican leaders and conservative legal officials quickly piled on criticism after the post began circulating widely online. Texas Governor Greg Abbott said the remarks would likely doom the Democrat politically if the message proves authentic. “If this is a real Talarico post, he is toast,” Abbott said, arguing the type of rhetoric might resonate in other parts of the country but not in Texas. “This is Tim Walz clone territory. He could win in Minnesota, but not in Texas.”
Texas Senator Ted Cruz also blasted the comments, saying progressive activists often hold views far removed from everyday Americans. “Left-wing zealots are very, very different from ordinary Americans,” Cruz said. “Among other things, they are open racists.”
Iowa Solicitor General Eric Wessan criticized the premise of the message as well. “Officials should not treat people differently based on skin color. There is nothing magic in Mr. Talarico’s complexion. It’s not infectious, evil, or bad,” Wessan said, adding that portraying whiteness as inherently tied to extremist symbols was offensive. “To the extent he is trying to attack ‘the West’, that’s wrong too. Stereotyping whiteness as KKK or confederate is gross,” he added.
🚨🇺🇸🏳️⚧️ | UN DELIRIO TOTAL: Candidato demócrata al Senado de EE. UU. en Texas, James Talarico: “Nuestra comunidad trans también necesita atención para el aborto”. pic.twitter.com/wguhlasL0B
— La Derecha Diario Estados Unidos (@DerechaDiarioUS) March 5, 2026
The resurfaced posts are not the first time James Talarico’s remarks about religion have stirred controversy. During a 2021 speech in the Texas legislature while debating transgender-related legislation, the Democrat declared that “God is nonbinary.”
Conservative and centrist pundits soon joined the criticism, with one commentator describing the remarks as “comically woke.” Journalist Josh Barro also weighed in online, suggesting the candidate should take a different approach to the controversy. “Talarico should try something unusual that worked for [New York City Mayor] Zohran Mamdani: He should apologize for bad past comments,” Barro wrote.
This is the only ad needed to defeat Texas Senate Democrat James Talarico.
Run this on loop. pic.twitter.com/pRDVCggWgX
— C3 (@C_3C_3) March 4, 2026
The James Talarico campaign quickly pushed back against the criticism as the controversy gained traction online. Campaign spokesman JT Ennis accused Republican leaders of attempting to distract voters with attacks. “While they lob stale attacks to mislead Texans, we are uniting the people of Texas to win in November,” Ennis said in a statement. He also claimed prominent Texas Republicans were worried about the Democrat’s growing support, saying U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, Gov. Abbott and “the billionaires who prop them up” are “scared of James Talarico for good reason.”
The backlash arrives at a pivotal moment for Democrats, who are attempting to capture one of Texas’ two U.S. Senate seats for the first time since 1988. Political observers say the race could become one of the most closely watched contests in the country as Democrats attempt to flip the traditionally Republican state.
Screenshots of James Talarico comments spread rapidly across social media platforms this week, prompting intense criticism from conservative activists, commentators and political strategists.
Several Republican figures argued the post highlights what they see as a growing trend among Democratic politicians to frame political issues through the lens of race and identity. “This is exactly the kind of rhetoric that alienates voters,” one GOP strategist said as the controversy intensified.
James Talarico has built a reputation among Democrats as a rising political figure.The Austin-area lawmaker, who has represented a suburban district in the Texas House since 2019, previously worked as a public school teacher before entering politics. He has gained a national following through speeches and social media posts discussing religion, education policy and political reform.
But the resurfaced message has now placed him at the center of a national debate about race and political messaging. Republican critics say the remarks could become a major campaign issue as the Senate race unfolds. Political analysts note that statewide elections in Texas are often decided by moderate and independent voters — groups that both parties will aggressively court in the coming months.
As a result, controversial statements about race and identity could prove politically damaging. Despite the growing backlash, Talarico has not publicly withdrawn the message that sparked the outrage. For now, the James Talarico controversy shows little sign of slowing down.
With the Nov. 3 election approaching and national attention already focused on the Texas Senate race, James Talarico’s comments about race have quickly become a flashpoint in the early stages of what could become one of the most fiercely contested races in the country.
