JD Vance Appears to Suggest Texas Democrat James Talarico Is Gay

Vice President JD Vance appeared to reference Democratic Texas Senate hopeful James Talarico’s sexuality while making a joke at a campaign event in the Lone Star State on Tuesday.

Vance was in Texas campaigning for Republican candidate Ken Paxton, the state’s attorney general, who has trailed Talarico in some surveys despite Texas’ reputation as a reliably conservative state.

The vice president made the remark near the beginning of his speech after a supporter in the crowd told him he loved him.

“I love you too, sir. In a totally platonic way, to be clear,” Vance replied. “I’m the vice president, not James Talarico.”

As the 37-year-old state representative has emerged as a Democrat with the potential to make the Senate race more competitive, Republicans have increasingly depicted Talarico as eccentric and disconnected from mainstream voters.

His Republican critics have used insults such as “low-T” and the nickname “Talafreako.”

Talarico’s previous expressions of support for transgender young people have also become a regular focus of attacks from Republicans.

His relationship with girlfriend Brianna Menard has drawn scrutiny as well. Menard previously served as Talarico’s chief of staff.

Vance revisited those criticisms later during the rally.

“Ladies and gentlemen, this guy’s a freak,” Vance told the audience. “Don’t elect him. Pick Ken Paxton.”

Earlier Tuesday, a reporter pressed Vance about comments in which he said he did not want to see Talarico’s internet search history.

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Vance said Talarico had shown what he characterized as an unusual interest in transgender children and drag queens. He also cited an allegedly made comment in which Talarico supposedly described seeing an 11-year-old in drag as “a great sight” or “a very beautiful thing.”

“He says a lot of weird stuff, and I think typically people who say stuff like that tend to have some pretty unusual search histories,” Vance said, while acknowledging that Talarico might not.

Vance repeated the allegation and reference to Talarico’s search history during his remarks to supporters.

The vice president claimed Talarico had been asked what he cared about in life, beyond his family and friends, and had immediately responded, “trans children.”

“Now you’ve got to wonder what the internet search history of a man like that looks like,” Vance said. “You don’t want to find out. Neither do I.”

Vance also referenced a conspiracy theory that circulated around Talarico’s campaign after the candidate temporarily stepped away from the campaign trail because he had the flu.

A fake story had gone viral that Talarico was missing because he was being treated at a mental institution in Ohio. 

Talarico’s campaign and the facility denied the allegations, with the Democrat saying that he’s never even been to Ohio. 

‘James Talarico needs a week or two to get his own head examined because he’s lost his damn mind,’ Vance said. 

Talarico’s campaign responded by pointing to a recent scandal rocking the Paxton campaign – that the GOP hopeful had been caught on video partying in Dubai with two businessmen indicted on federal healthcare fraud charges.

‘After Ken Paxton was caught partying with fugitives in Dubai, he called in reinforcements from JD Vance and Mike Johnson to try and distract Texans from his record of corruption,’ spokesperson JT Ennis said in a statement to the Daily Mail.

‘While DC politicians spread lies, James will continue bringing Democrats, Republicans, and independents together to fix this broken, corrupt political system and lower costs for working people,’ Ennis added.