Talarico is the best chance we've had to win in a long time in TEXAS. This is a red state. He absolutely cannot give a controversial quote like Beto did with the whole "I'm gonna take your guns" thing about banning all assault rifles. That sort of thing might play great in New York or California. It will kill his chances in Texas, even if he agrees with it, and will vote to support LGBTQIA legislation in the senate.

We need to play 4D chess here, not be thinking with our tiddlywinks brains.

in order to use against you. Don't give him more chances to lie about you.

... there are probably MORE people who'd find it reassuring in parts of those states but it's not a broadly-popular issue. There are anti-Ossoff ads here in Georgia that feature some mention of some support he's shown in the past, or that he *hasn't* opposed it, and it keeps the people who are motivated against it quite riled-up.

I have a brother, liberal, who has been in CA for 40 years.

His comment in '24, I didn't know anyone transgendered in High School, (he graduated in the '70s) I can't believe that there are that many transgendered people.

So if you are having to educate liberals on a subject then you are in for a long uphill battle.

Sorry for the harsh reality, but it appears to be where we are currently.

I have a trans niece -- we love her. She is struggling with all the anti-trans laws being passed.

The "I can't believe there are that many transgendered people" is not an unrealistic statement given the boogieman that Republicans have tried to make of it.

The highest estimates that I have seen in the adult population is about 0.5% or 1 in 200 people.

Which is less than indigenous peoples and about the same as all Hawaian/pacific islanders combined. (1.6 million people)

Given how few transgender people came out in HS until very recently (last 15 years), it probably seems even smaller group than that.

'If you were to listen to Republicans and especially hate radio and Faux news, you would think the number was closer to 50% of HS students identify as transgender.

It's a great division issue because it gets people to ignore that the top 5% are stealing from the bottom 95% for 100% of the time while they get us arguing over a relatively tiny population.

I don't want to see their rights trampled, but one key to running a winning campaign (50%+1 vote) campaign is to emphasize the things that are important to you that will resonate with the majority of the voters and try to not talk about any poistion that you hold that might be unpopular with a lot of voters. From my political campaign management classes in college that was called polling principal #1. The candidate knows what he or she believes is important -- the job of the campaign staff is to get the candidate to maximize the positive positions from polls and minimize the negative positions to voters. That is how you get elected.

There was a reason Clinton had the 'it's the economy, stupid' thing around. That was what would get him elected.

Talarico needs to hammer -- corruption and the disastrous results of Rethuglican laws on the economy, affordability, health care, and utilities. No more pay to play. No more cutting subsidies to the ACA. No more tax breaks to the super rich while you cannot afford food. Noi more data centers get electricity but you cannot get heat during a winter storm or AC when it is 100 degrees.

I remember in 2016 how many Dreamers were out bashing Obama. (Or fake Dreamers) Getting pissed off at Clinton and Dems. How the F did that work out!?!

I bet Talarico has good advisors who know what
he needs to do.

Focus on Paxton's corruption.

Healthcare. Rent. Groceries, etc

Why let Paxton draw out the psychos?

Talarico has a real opportunity in blood-red Texas. Paxton will attempt to throw all the red meat issues to his supporters. Think Talarico is wise to side- step these issues and concentrate on Paxton's incredible history of corruption along with the primary issue of affordability for Americans.

Affordability is something Republicans would like to side-step because they've bowed down to every stupid policy Trump and his Administration has pushed--tariffs, war, tax breaks for the rich.

Talarico is smart and has a positive vision for the future. He'll find the way.

would you rather have heard, beyond his redirect pointing out Paxton's obvious flaws?

And everybody in Texas will hear about it.

He doesnt need to say more.

Beto was painted with open borders and gun confiscation - he actually doubled down on gun confiscation and promptly doomed his chances

Republicans will put transgenders on Democrats this fall because it worked in 2024

Republicans win in swing states because they get schooled in being evasive moving targets when it comes to divisive issues. Don’t doubt that there are Paxton strategists primed to sift through every tape of Talarico’s utterances hoping they can find something to use against him.

His message will be that he is focusing on the issues that affect all Texans - affordability, healthcare, housing, etc. The Texas GOP is a nasty lot. Talarico uses his background as a public school teacher and Christian seminarian, snd uses biblical language to advocate for the trans community. He has argued that "God is non-binary" and that trans children are made perfectly in God's image, forcing conservative opponents to debate theology. That is a good strategy for winning in the Bible Belt - these nasty white Christian Nationalists love to grasp their cross necklaces and talk down to people but lose their cred quickly if they have to deal with their phony religious BS.

It will be a close race - this is Texas and like the air and water around here - there is nothing "clean" in the Shitkicker/Cowboy genre.

The campaign ads hanging her anodyne supportive statements around her neck were relentless and effective on the swing voting idiots who determine our elections.

Likewise, Paxton is going to hammer this because it's a fucking obsession for Repukes - they're so scared.

He was looking to make a headline. If it sinks Talerico, that's a price he's will to pay.

Lawrence has always been brutally effective against MAGAts and Piggy.

It's Texas. They know how to spell it.

I trust Talarico to balance the issues. But he can't help ANYONE if he doesn't win. We need to set aside such concerns, IMO, in favor of the long term goal. Talarico must win. And if he has to downplay some social issues to do it, so be it.

Well done, sir. This should be SOP for all Democrats this fall.

Is to only answer the questions you want to answer. Any other question should just be ignored while you answer the other questions anyway.

When has any campaign ever been helped by giving time to stuff that you don't want to talk about?

"the most corrupt politician in America". Moreso than trump? Is that even possible?

So, with that modifier, it was a correct statement. Trump obviously out-corrupts anybody, considering all US politicians since 1776 (and there have been some doozies).

His head seems to be in the same place, anyhow.

He made a flat statement that Paxton is the worst...not necessarily the worst running.

That's one crown I'm not ready to remove from chump's head.

Ron Filipkowski posted this article on Bluesky:
https://thebarbedwire.com/2026/02/17/ken-paxton-scandal-timeline/

trump's crimes date back to the 1960's.

I grew up 45 minutes from downtown Manhattan and have been aware of trump's misdealings since I was in college. He quite literally sat at the right hand of his criminal father and learned his lessons well. It's why (despite his lofty advantage of NYC "Favorite Son" ) he garnered only 11% of the City's presidential vote in 2016 - New Yorkers have long memories when it comes to the trump family. They hate him.

This is ridiculous. ALL MAGATs are corrupt.

Called a fine dude like James Talarico by a bunch of demeaning names.

To offer a balanced view, from now on
Ben Paxton is gonna be known as
A One-Eyed Jack.
🖕🏻

I'm sure your heart is with transgender people.

Talarico does address your concern.

outweighing the needs of the few.

Or is that something else, completely different?

Guns and transsexual don’t play well in the news to the voting base. You can’t change anything if you aren’t elected.

Democrat Support human rights. The other side does not.

Dems have got to find a way to address this issue, because it creates a visceral response in people.

It worked against Kamala. I had friends and family, who voted for Kamala, pressing me before they voted to know about her "advocating" for transgender health care in CA prisons (or some such). How would they even know about it? It ran in ads practically non-stop in this conservative midwestern state.

... really only serves to create doubts and division, doesn't it? Why do this?

The primaries are over. The time to nitpick is over.

Let's not do the Rs framing for them.

tries to fabricate non-issues doesn’t mean Talarico has to accept the framing and try to own it and make sense out if it. Talarico is right to stick to his own framing.

Lawrence is one of our best, but that was not a necessary question.

Don't do their work for them.

The right is already going after James Talarico on trans issues even going as far as saying he himself IS trans.
What I wasn't expecting was the official Twitter account of The Democrats to post a gigantic "Fuck You!" to Stephen Miller over this.
We're in the pit this time folks! 😊

I do think Talarico needs to be honest and out front on this. I see many here saying he should be quiet but I have to wonder what does that actually achieve especially when the right is already trashing him for it. Lean into it, own it. Young voters and millennial's are very pro-trans rights. Make a stand and watch them show up like never before over this. Being quiet doesn't bring their votes out and only sets Talarico up for being buried by the right.

Defend trans people, fight FOR them, and then you make it about the economy. The people who are anti-trans are likely never voting for Talarico to begin with and I'll throw money down betting that he is 100% getting asked about trans kids during the debates. Do we want a candidate who's completely shell shocked on the debate stage or do we want someone who's ready to fight for civil rights?

He and Jen Psaki are easily my favorite cable people. It is clear from the first answer that Talarico does not intend to say more.

At this point his number one concern should be doing what is most likely to get him elected. Giving Paxton a sound bite on an unpopular and controversial issue does NOT help Talarico.

I think this is what Barney Frank may have been speaking of when he talked about Democrats not having to make issues like treatment of Transgender people a litmus test. Is there anyone here who thinks Paxton would be better for the rights of transgender people? This is not an infinite choice of possible Senators. It is Talarico or Paxton. The type of more explicit support to the transgender population some want here could be an albatross around his neck


Consider what a difference Talarico could mean. It is possible that he could mean who has the majority. In that case, we get the chairs of every committee. Even with Trump as President, it could stop many bad things. Consider that as terms are 6 years, we would have one extra Democrat Senator for three Congresses at least.