WATCH: Talarico embraces ‘freaky’ identity as crowds chant name meant as insult: ‘So weird’
Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico is fully embracing his "Talafreako" moniker given to him by Republican opponent Ken Paxton and is even selling T-shirts with the slogan "I’m a Talafreako."
While speaking at a general election kickoff event in Houston this week, Talarico encouraged supporters to purchase a T-shirt, saying, "I also saw that Ken Paxton started calling me ‘Talafreako,’ and I am proud to announce that we have ‘I'm a Talafreako’ T-shirts on our website. So, when you go home tonight, make sure you grab one."
After Talarico exited the stage, the crowd at the Houston rally began chanting "Talafreako" repeatedly.
Despite the bravado, some believe that, with Talarico already having to deal with a series of highly controversial resurfaced comments, the move will backfire with moderate Texas voters. Talarico’s prior comments include saying that "God is nonbinary," that there are six genders and that the Bible supports abortion.
A strategist familiar with the Senate race remarked to Fox News Digital that "Talarico can’t run from his record of supporting every freaky left-wing policy under the sun."
"Selling merch that says ‘Talafreako’ on it is just going to remind people that he is on the wrong side of every 80/20 issue," the strategist said, adding, "It’s so weird."
Commenting on a clip of Talarico saying in an interview, "I love" transgender-identifying children, Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., posted on X, "Talarico was constructed in a Woke Lab. In the end, that dog won’t hunt."
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, who is now set to become the state’s senior senator, posted on X, "Texas will never elect someone who thinks God is nonbinary."
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Despite this, not all believe embracing Talafreako will backfire. Eric Koch, founder of Downfield Strategies, told Fox News Digital that he "love[s]" the Talarico campaign "co-opting" the jab.
"There were a lot of people wondering if James Talarico can throw a punch. In the first 24 hours of the general election, James made the case that Ken Paxton is the most corrupt politician in the country and called him out for giving Epstein-style sweetheart deals to pedophiles," said Koch.
He added that the Democratic candidate "can throw a punch and will make this race a choice between himself and Paxton."
During the kickoff rally in Houston, Talarico ripped Paxton as the "most corrupt politician in America," who he said, "Has sold us out for years."
If elected, he pledged that his first move in the Senate would be to file a "comprehensive anti-corruption package," which he said would include a ban on "unlimited donations" from corporate political action committees and super PACs, as well as banning congressional stock trading, instituting term limits and establishing a national ban on gerrymandering. He also said the package would include a measure to "overhaul" the Supreme Court.
He addressed some of the criticisms already being lodged against him, saying, "They're going to throw everything they've got at us. They've already called me a radical leftist. They've already called me a fake Christian. They've even called me a vegan. And those are fighting words in the state of Texas."
"They're going to call us a threat," he continued. "The only truth out of all of those lies is that we are a threat. We're a threat to their corrupt system."
Speaking on MS NOW, Talarico asserted, "Ken Paxton has a criminal record. I have a legislative record."
He touted himself as a bipartisan legislator, saying, "For over 4 terms in the Texas House of Representatives, I have brought Democrats and Republicans together to pass more than 60 bipartisan bills to cut property taxes, to raise teacher pay, to lower the cost of housing, prescription drugs, and childcare across Texas — and I’m gonna put that record up against Ken Paxton’s criminal record any day of the week, twice on Sunday."
Paxton, meanwhile, has cast Talarico as too progressive, posting on X on Thursday that "James Talarico is too radical for California, let alone Texas."
Fox News Digital reached out to Paxton and Talarico’s campaigns for additional comment.