PLANO, Texas — James Talarico is betting that an unconventional political message can help Democrats compete in one of the most deeply conservative states in the country: He is putting Christianity at the center of his campaign.
The 37-year-old Texas state representative and Democratic Senate nominee has increasingly presented his political philosophy through the teachings of Jesus, arguing that Democrats should not surrender religious language or Christian voters to Republicans.
His approach is striking in Texas, where evangelical Christians have long been a crucial part of the Republican coalition. But it has also created an unusual political vulnerability. Republican leaders are not merely attacking Talarico's policies; they are challenging his interpretation of Christianity itself.
A Democrat trying to reclaim Christian language
Talarico, who is studying at a Presbyterian seminary, has built much of his public identity around the idea that his Christian faith is inseparable from his political beliefs.
His campaign frequently returns to two biblical principles: loving God and loving one's neighbor. He has also urged voters to "flip the tables" — a reference to the Gospel accounts in which Jesus overturns the tables of merchants operating in the Temple.
For Talarico, the message is intended to challenge the assumption that Christianity naturally belongs to the political right.
He argues that issues such as helping the poor, protecting vulnerable people, welcoming immigrants and caring for neighbors can also be understood through Christian teachings.
That argument has attracted some voters who say they are religious but do not identify with the cultural priorities emphasized by conservative evangelical politics. One Texas voter interviewed by The Washington Post said Talarico's emphasis on caring for others resonated more than the cultural battles that have traditionally motivated the state's religious right.
Republicans say his interpretation crosses a line
Republicans, however, see Talarico's religious message very differently.
His opponent, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, has repeatedly highlighted controversial statements Talarico made before launching his Senate campaign. Paxton has pointed to Talarico's description of God as "nonbinary" and an earlier remark in which Talarico said he was a Christian who hated Christianity.
Those comments were made in the context of Talarico criticizing forms of organized religion and Christian nationalism that he believes have departed from the teachings of Jesus.
Republicans argue that his statements demonstrate that Talarico's version of Christianity is incompatible with traditional evangelical beliefs.
State Rep. Matt Shaheen, a Republican and deacon at Prestonwood Baptist Church, called Talarico's interpretation "blasphemous" and argued that his religious message is more likely to anger conservative Christians than persuade them.
The conflict illustrates how religion has become one of the central battlegrounds of the Texas Senate race.
Talarico's controversial comments have followed him
The criticism is not based on a single statement.
Talarico has used biblical references to defend positions that are strongly opposed by many evangelical Christians, including his views on abortion and transgender rights.
In discussing abortion, he has invoked the biblical story of the Annunciation — when the angel Gabriel tells Mary she will give birth to Jesus — arguing that Mary's consent is an important part of the story.
He has also argued that describing God as nonbinary was intended to express the theological idea that God cannot be confined by human categories. He has subsequently acknowledged that some of his earlier comments were "cringy" and offered an explanation for what he was trying to convey.
Rather than abandoning those arguments, Talarico has increasingly attempted to place them within a broader theological framework: Christians can share a faith while reaching different conclusions about political and moral questions.
A clash between different Christian traditions
Part of the controversy reflects a genuine theological divide.
Talarico identifies with a mainline Protestant tradition that generally places Christianity within a pluralistic society and emphasizes interpretation, social responsibility and engagement with people of different faiths.
Texas Republicans such as Paxton draw heavily on evangelical Christianity, where biblical authority and traditional interpretations of Christian doctrine have a much stronger political role.
That distinction matters in Texas.
According to figures cited by The Washington Post from the Pew Research Center, about 67 percent of Texas adults identify as Christian. Roughly 27 percent identify as evangelical, while about 10 percent identify as mainline Protestant. Catholics account for about 22 percent of the state's adult population.
For generations, Republican candidates have been able to rely on strong support from conservative Christians. Talarico's strategy is an attempt to disrupt that relationship without abandoning his progressive political positions.
Paxton offers a competing vision of faith
Paxton also talks openly about religion, but his message is fundamentally different.
The Republican describes faith as the foundation for his personal and political life. He has supported greater visibility for prayer and Bible reading in public schools and has questioned aspects of the separation between church and state.
That gives Texas voters a clear contrast.
Paxton presents himself as a conventional conservative Christian whose political positions flow from his religious convictions. Talarico presents himself as a progressive Christian who believes many conservative politicians have misappropriated Christianity for political power.
The race is therefore not simply about whether religion belongs in politics. Both candidates say faith matters.
The deeper argument is over which understanding of Christianity should influence public policy.
Talarico hopes faith can expand the Democratic coalition
Democrats have struggled to win statewide office in Texas for decades, and Christian voters have traditionally been an important Republican constituency.
Talarico's supporters believe his approach could give Democrats an opening among religious voters who have felt politically homeless.
Rep. Christian Menefee, a Democrat and Talarico supporter, said voters began paying attention when Talarico incorporated biblical teachings into his arguments in the Texas Legislature.
The theory behind the strategy is straightforward: Democrats may not need to persuade deeply conservative evangelical voters. Instead, they could try to reach Christians who care about faith but do not agree with Republican positions on every cultural or political issue.
That is an ambitious gamble in a state where evangelical voters remain one of the Republican Party's most dependable constituencies.
The personal attacks may have a political purpose
Paxton's focus on Talarico's religious statements also reflects the broader nature of the Senate contest.
The two candidates are running a highly competitive race, according to recent public polling cited by The Washington Post. Democrats see an opportunity to win a Texas Senate seat that has remained in Republican hands for decades, while Republicans are trying to prevent Talarico from turning his national profile and fundraising advantage into a statewide victory.
That makes Talarico's faith both an opportunity and a liability.
If he can persuade moderate and independent Christians that Democratic politics can coexist with serious religious conviction, he could broaden the party's coalition.
But if Republicans succeed in convincing evangelical voters that Talarico is distorting Christianity rather than representing it, the same strategy could reinforce the very partisan divide he hopes to overcome.
A campaign about more than religion
The Texas Senate race is ultimately becoming a debate over competing definitions of values.
Talarico argues that Christian faith should emphasize love of neighbor, compassion and opposition to the misuse of religious authority.
Paxton and his conservative supporters argue that Talarico's progressive interpretation departs too far from traditional Christian doctrine.
The dispute has become especially intense because both sides are speaking to voters who regard faith as more than a private matter.
For Talarico, the campaign is an attempt to prove that Christianity is not owned by one political party. For his Republican opponents, his candidacy is evidence of how far the Democratic Party has moved from traditional Christian beliefs.
The outcome could reveal whether Talarico's message can break through Texas's longstanding political and religious alignments — or whether his unconventional use of faith ultimately gives Republicans another powerful weapon against him.
Either way, Talarico has made one thing unmistakable: Christianity is not a side issue in his Senate campaign. It is at the heart of his political identity — and increasingly, at the heart of the battle over his candidacy.
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